Three South Florida men have been sentenced to federal prison for trafficking and sexually exploiting three teenage girls who had run away from foster care, federal prosecutors announced.
U.S. District Judge Donald M. Middlebrooks sentenced Jaime Figueroa, 36, of Boynton Beach, to 235 months in prison after Figueroa pleaded guilty to the production of child sexual abuse material. Antonio Michel, 36, of Delray Beach, received a 180-month sentence, while Raymond Jean, 46, of Greenacres, was sentenced to 144 months. Both Michel and Jean pleaded guilty to sex trafficking of a minor.
According to court documents, the three men targeted the runaway teens by taking advantage of their youth, instability, and lack of family support to force them into commercial sex for financial gain.
Michel rented and paid for hotel and motel rooms where the acts took place and transported the girls to and from the locations, often accompanied by Jean.
Investigators noted that Figueroa directed the victims on how to conduct the encounters, set the prices for the commercial sex acts, and collected the cash proceeds from the girls. Figueroa also regularly supplied crack cocaine to the victims throughout the operation. Following his arrest, law enforcement searched his cellphone and discovered child sexual abuse material involving one of the victims.
“These defendants found missing foster children who needed protection and chose instead to exploit them, supply them with drugs, and sell them for profit,” said U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones for the Southern District of Florida. “Antonio Michel was sentenced to 15 years in federal prison, Jaime Figueroa to 19 years and seven months, and Raymond Jean to 12 years. Their conduct was cruel and predatory, and these sentences reflect our commitment to finding missing children, protecting trafficking victims, and bringing those who prey on them to justice.”
Special Agent in Charge José R. Figueroa of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Miami also issued a statement regarding the resolution of the case.
“These defendants targeted some of the most vulnerable children in our community and treated them as a source of profit,” he said. “No child should ever be subjected to such cruelty. These sentences represent an important step toward justice for the victims and demonstrate that HSI and our partners will use every tool available to identify, investigate, and bring child predators to justice.”
The joint investigation was conducted by HSI West Palm Beach and the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office Human Trafficking Task Force.
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