LA Sex Trafficker Had Victim's Teeth Pulled: Authorities

LOS ANGELES — A Los Angeles man accused of sex trafficking a victim, taking her money and having her teeth pulled by an unlicensed dentist was convicted of numerous charges by a federal jury in Mississippi, authorities said.

Michael Deon Fulcher, 54, was convicted of sex trafficking, conspiracy to commit sex trafficking and interstate transportation for purposes of prostitution, the U.S. Department of Justice announced Monday. His codefendant, Jonzie Hamilton, 35, previously pleaded guilty to interstate transportation for purposes of prostitution, authorities said.

“The defendant preyed upon this vulnerable victim and used sexual violence and threats of physical harm to coerce her into commercial sex for his own financial gain,” Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke said in a news release. “We thank this victim for bravely facing her trafficker. The Justice Department will vigorously prosecute these cases to hold human traffickers accountable and bring justice to their victims.”

Fulcher lured the victim, who was injured, into his car in Las Vegas, falsely promising to help her but instead taking her to his home and sexually assaulting her, according to the department. He used sexual assault, violent threats, isolation, control, psychological manipulation and emotional abuse to compel her to engage in commercial sex between April and June 2020, authorities said.

Fulcher required the victim to follow strict rules, threatened her with physical harm, confiscated her money and Social Security debit card, and had an unlicensed dentist pull her teeth, according to the department. He also sent the victim and Hamilton across the country to engage in commercial sex, stopping in Colorado, New Mexico, Texas, Louisiana and Mississippi, where the victim ran away, authorities said.

While she was on the road, Fulcher required the victim to send him all her earnings, controlled her phone access, isolated her from anyone she knew and refused to let her receive needed medical treatment, according to the department.

A sentencing hearing for Fulcher is set for April 30, authorities said. He faces a maximum penalty of life in prison and mandatory restitution for the sex trafficking charge, according to the department. Hamilton’s sentencing hearing is scheduled for Jan. 31, authorities said.

Anyone with information about human trafficking is asked to report it to the National Human Trafficking Hotline toll-free at 1-888-373-7888, according to the department. The hotline is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.