SAN FRANCISCO – A 36-year-old Oakland man is dealing with as much as life in jail after a jury convicted him of kid intercourse trafficking and producing little one pornography, federal prosecutors mentioned.
The jury discovered Kenneth Orlando Sparks responsible of trafficking the teenage sufferer on the “Blade,” a time period used to explain business intercourse strips in San Francisco and Oakland, in addition to recording movies of himself having intercourse with the sufferer in July 2019.
In an announcement Thursday, the U.S. Legal professional’s Workplace mentioned Sparks organized to move the teenager to and from the Blade and provided her recommendation and instruction whereas she was working. He additionally reportedly disregarded a warning in regards to the sufferer’s age.
Authorities opened an investigation into Sparks after San Francisco cops stopped him and the teenager in July 2019. Prosecutors mentioned the officers realized the sufferer was a minor and noticed proof of her involvement in business intercourse work.
A federal grand jury indicted Sparks on Sept. 29, 2021, charging him with one depend every of manufacturing of kid pornography, intercourse trafficking of a minor, coercion and enticement of a minor, and receipt of kid pornography. The latter cost was dismissed earlier than trial and the jury acquitted Sparks of the enticement cost.
Sparks faces 15 to 30 years in jail for the manufacturing of kid pornography conviction and 10 years to life in jail for the intercourse trafficking of a minor conviction. For each convictions, he additionally faces a $250,000 high-quality and a life time period of supervised launch.
U.S. District Decide Vince Chhabria has not but scheduled Sparks’ sentencing listening to. Sparks stays free on bond, pending additional hearings, in line with prosecutors.