United States Attorney A. Lee Bentley, III announced that a federal jury on Friday found Maurice Williams, 25, of Temple Terrace guilty of child sex trafficking and possession of child pornography. He faces a maximum penalty of life in federal prison. A sentencing hearing is scheduled for August 24, 2016.
His brother, Antawan Hudson, 30, of Tampa pleaded guilty to all charges on the first day of trial and also faces a maximum penalty of life in federal prison. His sentencing hearing is scheduled for August 16, 2016.
Williams and Hudson were indicted on November 4, 2015.
According to testimony and evidence presented at trial,Williams conspired with Hudson to traffic underage females by fraud, force, and coercion in the commercial sex trade. Williams and Hudson worked together to post online prostitution ads for the victims and then transported the girls throughout central Florida to have sex with customers. After the victims had sex with the customers, Williams and Hudson took some or all of the money and, in exchange, offered the victims drugs, alcohol, and beauty appointments.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Stacie Harris and Daniel George.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
