Man Charged with Pimping 19-year-old Near Lake Forest

LAKE FOREST, CA — An out of state resident attempting to pimp a woman near Lake Forest was convicted and sentenced to two years in state prison.

Matthew Alexander Rougely, 31-year-old Jacksonville, Arkansas resident pleaded guilty to one felony count of attempted pimping a woman in Irvine.

According to the Human Trafficking Task Force, Rougely reportedly posted sexually explicit advertisements of a 19-year-old woman at a website well known for promoting prostitution between Oct. and Nov. of 2015

"The defendant drove the victim to locations in Orange County known for human trafficking and commercial sex for her to meet with sex purchasers," the OCDA stated in release.

"At approximately 4 a.m. on Nov. 5, 2015, Rougely drove the victim to Irvine and parked at a Circle K gas station," they said. "A member of the Orange County Human Trafficking Task Force (OCHTTF) performed a routine check of the defendant’s vehicle. Rougely possessed evidence consistent with him attempting to pimp Jane Doe and was arrested at the scene."

Members of the OCHTTF and the Orange County District Attorney’s (OCDA) Office work proactively to protect women and minors from falling victim to commercial sexual exploitation.

"This case was investigated by the OCHTTF, a partnership between Anaheim Police Department, California Highway Patrol, Costa Mesa Police Department, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Huntington Beach Police Department, Irvine Police Department, Newport Beach Police Department, OCDA, Orange County Sheriff’s Department, Santa Ana Police Department, and community and non-profit partners," they said.

Deputy District Attorney Brad Schoenleben of the HEAT Unit prosecuted this case.

To read more about California’s anti-human trafficking Proposition 35 (Prop 35) and the OCDA’s Human exploitation and Trafficking (HEAT) Unit, please visit www.orangecountyda.org