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A federal grand jury in Utah has indicted eight people for alleged sex trafficking involving minors, at least some of whom were allegedly taken from to California or Idaho to engage in prostitution.
The eight were charged in four indictments unsealed this week in U.S. District Court in Salt Lake City.
If convicted of sex trafficking of children, the defendants face minimum mandatory sentences of 10 years in prison and a potential life sentence.
"It's hard to come up with a more disturbing title of an offense than sex trafficking of children," said U.S. Attorney for Utah John W. Huber.
While federal agents and local police officers in Utah are assigned to look for these types of crimes, Huber said, "That doesn't necessarily mean there's a pervasive problem. But certainly when a grand jury returns indictments against eight individuals that does illustrate a problem that we are addressing and our community needs to be cognizant about."
The eight defendants individually face different sets of charges, among them sex trafficking of children, conspiracy to commit sex trafficking, transportation with intent to engage in criminal sexual activity and transporting a minor for prostitution.
Acting Salt Lake City Police Chief Mike Brown cited the local-federal cooperation in investigating the cases and bringing charges.
"Anytime we can disrupt that cycle of violence, it's a huge step in the right direction," he said in a news release.
The defendants are:
• Abiodu Damiloca Salankole, 20, who faces two counts of sex trafficking of children. His attorney, Ed Wall, declined to comment.
• Gloire Seba, 21, Sandy, and Kyle Jason Hale, 21, Riverton, were charged in a nine-count indictment with sex trafficking of children, conspiracy to commit sex trafficking and transporting a minor for prostitution that allegedly involve four victims.
Seba's attorney did not return an email seeking comment. Hale had not been represented by Friday, according to court records.
• Saquan Marcell Smith, 23, and Raquel Consuela Knell, 21, both of Salt Lake City, face four counts of sex trafficking of children and conspiracy to commit sex trafficking involving two minor victims.
Smith's attorney, Cara Tangaro, said it was too early in the case to comment. Knell did not have an attorney by Friday, according to court documents.
• Ashley Nicole Poike, 23, Sandy; Hector Yordano Irizarry Castro, 24, Salt Lake City; and Tomas Marte-Pena, 27, Salt Lake City, are charged in a nine-count indictment with sex trafficking of children, conspiracy to commit sex trafficking, transportation with the intent to engage in criminal sexual activity and transportation of a minor with intent to engage in criminal sexual activity.
Poike's attorney, Steven Killpack, said "it is premature at this juncture to comment on the case." Attorneys for Castro and Marte-Pena did not return emails seeking comment.
All of the defendants have been arrested and pleaded not guilty in appearances in federal court. Knell and Kyle were released from custody and the six others were held pending detention hearings.