Man Accused of Pimping Out Teen From RivCo Motel

RIVERSIDE COUNTY, CA — A convicted felon accused of putting a 17-year-old girl and a young woman to work as prostitutes in Riverside is slated to be arraigned Tuesday on sex trafficking charges.

Richard Jeviah Graham, 33, of San Bernardino was arrested in Henderson, Nevada, in April after he was pulled over for a traffic violation and patrol officers discovered that he was a wanted fugitive.

Graham is charged with human trafficking, coercing a minor to engage in commercial sex acts, pimping and pandering. He's being held in lieu of $1 million bail at the Robert Presley Jail and is slated to make his initial court appearance Tuesday afternoon before Riverside County Superior Court Judge Emma Smith at the Riverside Hall of Justice.

Graham was extradited from Clark County, Nevada, last week.

According to Riverside police Officer Ryan Railsback, the department's vice unit became aware that the victims -- the 17-year-old and a 21-year- old woman, neither of whom were identified -- were working out of a motel room, offering sexual services via online classified advertisements.

After detectives conducted a vice sting at the location and questioned the pair on April 4, they learned that Graham had allegedly arranged the illicit operation, though he couldn't be located, Railsback said.

The case was submitted to the District Attorney's Office, culminating in charges, and a warrant was issued for the defendant's arrest.

According to court records, Graham has prior convictions in the last five years that resulted in prison time. The offenses were not specified, however.

— By City News Service / Image via Shutterstock