CINCINNATI -- A federal grand jury has charged two brothers, William Pierce Washington, 36, and William Pierce Washington, Jr., 47, both of Cincinnati, with conspiracy to sex traffic children and sex trafficking of children in an indictment that was unsealed Tuesday.
Washington – who is also known as “Bam” – was arrested by the FBI Tuesday morning and will appear in federal court at 1:30 p.m. Washington, Jr. – also known as “Man” – was arrested on June 14.
Benjamin C. Glassman, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; Angela L. Byers, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cincinnati Field Office, Sharonville Police Chief Aaron Blasky and other members of the FBI’s child exploitation task force announced the indictment returned June 21.
According to the indictment, Sharonville Police Department officers responded to a motel in Sharonville on April 18, following the report of a distraught female in the business’s parking lot. The female, a 16-year-old, told officers she had spent several hours in a motel room smoking crack cocaine and engaged in oral sex with an adult male who physically assaulted her.
Contact with the adult male and search of his cellphone revealed sexually explicit photos with the victim and text conversations with Washington about arrangements to coordinate the sexual activity for payment to Washington.
During a forensic interview, the victim told investigators she had run away from a foster home and was living with a relative and the relative’s boyfriend, Washington, at a residence on Kinney Avenue that is owned by Washington, Jr.
While at the residence, Washington allegedly beat and raped the victim. Washington, Jr. acted as the victim’s boyfriend and the victim was allegedly forced to have sex with him.
The victim described several instances where she said she was forced to engage in prostitution, was injected with heroin and forced to smoke crack cocaine. She said she was often beaten and on one occasion had a gun held to her head while being forced to have sex with someone. Every time she was forced to engage in prostitution, Washington and Washington, Jr. allegedly arranged her transportation and had control over the transactions.
Conspiracy to sex traffic a minor is a crime punishable by up to life in prison and sex trafficking of children carries a minimum of 10 years in prison up to life.
Glassman commended the investigation of this case by the FBI and Sharonville Police Department, as well as Assistant United States Attorney Kyle J. Healey, who is prosecuting the case.
An indictment merely contains allegations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law.
