4 Philadelphians Charged With Sex Trafficking Minors

PHILADELPHIA — Four people from Philadelphia have been federally charged with sex trafficking of minors, according to authorities.

Acting United States Attorney Jennifer Arbittier Williams said John Adams, 41, Mercedes Hampton-Devero, 28, Malachai Kendall, 20, and Chukuw Ossai, 31, all of Philadelphia, were arrested and charged in two separate indictments with sex trafficking of minors.

Kendall was also charged with both production and distribution of child pornography, and Adams was also charged with tampering with evidence in a federal investigation.

Adams, whose self-professed nickname was "Captain Save-A-Hoe," along with Hampton-Devero and Kendall, trafficked two minors over a roughly three-weeks period in January 2020 from multiple locations in Philadelphia, federal authorities said.

The three allegedly used their cell phones to post advertisements of the victims on a website which is known to be used for advertising sexual services for a fee, directed the minors to participate in commercial sex acts, and took a portion of the proceeds on each occasion, authorities said.

During that period, Kendall also is alleged to have used his cell phone to record one of the minors performing oral sex on him and then sent the video to the minor victim, according to authorities.

Additionally, Adams and Kendall each accused of coercing the minors into having sex with them on multiple occasions, and Hampton-Devero instructed one of the minor victims to record commercial sex acts on her cell phone for Devero to post online to attract more sex buyers, authorities said.

When the minors were rescued and Adams learned he was under investigation by the FBI, he allegedly wiped his cell phone clean of all incriminating evidence, according to authorities.

In a separate Indictment, Ossai is charged with the sex trafficking of a minor in late January 2020.

According to authorities, Ossai trafficked one minor, took her to a lingerie store where he picked out lingerie for her, posted an advertisement for her on a website used to advertise sexual services for a fee, and harbored her in a hotel room in Lester, Pennsylvania.

Ossai then drove the minor victim to a housing project in Philadelphia for her to engage in a commercial sex act, and he attempted to have sex with her himself, authorities said.

The minor was rescued from Ossai’s vehicle after he was pulled over in Tinicum Township.

If convicted, each face a maximum possible sentence of life imprisonment.