KANSAS CITY, KAN. – A federal jury convicted a man of forcing and coercing minors to commit sexual acts with adults in exchange for money, according to the United State's Attorney.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Calvin Johnson, 31, of Kansas City, Missouri, was found guilty on two counts of sex trafficking accomplished by force, fraud, or coercion, • two counts of sex trafficking of a child; and • two counts of transportation with intent to engage in criminal sexual activity.
Between February 2022 and January 2023, Johnson transported two minors within Kansas as well as other states including Missouri and Nebraska, while using force and coercion to compel the vulnerable victims to engage in commercial sex acts.
On April 20, 2022, the Missouri State Highway Patrol (MSHP) and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) spoke to a minor after a traffic stop. Law enforcement learned the victim was a runaway from the juvenile care system and performing commercial sex acts at the behest of Johnson. The victim indicated Johnson booked motel rooms, posted solicitations for clients on websites, rented cars, and transported the victim to hotels for commercial sex acts.
On January 17, 2023, law enforcement encountered the second minor inside a motel room. The second victim was also a runaway.
A forensic search of the victims’ cellphones and social media accounts showed communications with Johnson clearly indicating he was selling the victims for sexual services. Johnson directed the victims to have clients send him money on digital payment apps then he kept all payments. Investigators obtained booking information from various hotels across multiple states in the region and found evidence of rooms booked and paid for by Johnson.
“Human traffickers are known to prey on underage runaways because these minors have multiple vulnerabilities that increase the likelihood they will become targets of exploitation and abuse,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan A. Kriegshauser. “We at the Department of Justice are relentless in advocating for the rights of human trafficking victims and seeking justice on their behalf.”
The Missouri State Highway Patrol (MSHP) and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) are investigating the case.