HOUSTON, TEXAS – A 26-year-old Houston man has been ordered to prison following his convictions of sex trafficking of a minor and conspiracy to do so, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Jennifer B. Lowery.
Trevien Thomas aka Triggah pleaded guilty Jan. 6.
Today, U.S. District Judge Nancy F. Atlas handed Thomas a 300-month sentence. At the hearing, the court heard a statement from the victim’s mother and sister as well as letters from the victim and others detailing the emotional, physical and financial impact of what Thomas did. In handing down the sentence, the court noted the aggravating factor that Thomas lured an obviously emotionally-injured girl to Houston to engage in prostitution. The court further noted the victim suffered substantially during the time Thomas held her. He was further ordered to serve 15 years on supervised release following completion of his prison term, during which time he will have to comply with requirements restricting his access to children and the internet. Thomas will also be ordered to register as a sex offender.
On March 23, 2016, Thomas picked up a 14-year-old girl in Dallas and brought her to Houston. After pistol whipping her when she tried to leave the first day, Thomas held the victim at several motels in the Houston area against her will and created commercial sex advertisements of her. He then forced the minor to engage in commercial sex acts with multiple adult men over the course of five days.
Thomas collected and kept all the proceeds.
He consistently watched her or had others do so. However, on March 28, 2016, he left her alone in a motel room, at which time she was able to escape.
Thomas has been and will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
The Houston Police Department conducted the investigation with assistance from the FBI Organized Crime Task Force. The Dallas Police Department also assisted with the investigative effort.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sebastian Edwards and Eun Kate Suh prosecuted this case.