A Georgia woman pleaded guilty in federal court in Chattanooga on Monday to a single count of transporting women for prostitution.
Tatianna “Toni” Valencia Wallace, 30, admitted to police that she had been arranging prostitution deals for 10 to 15 women over the past two years, according to the Times Free Press.
Wallace faces a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Wallace cooperated with the investigation and pleaded guilty, leading federal prosecutor Jay Woods to recommend a sentence lower than the maximum. Her sentencing hearing is scheduled for April 14.
The investigation on Wallace began on Sept. 27 after Chattanooga police arrested an 18-year-old woman for agreeing to perform sexual acts for $160. The operation brought an undercover officer to a Chattanooga hotel after he found the woman on the website backpage.com through an ad for “Dreamgirl Companions.” The woman told the officer that her appointments were booked through Wallace on the website, and she agreed to cooperate with a federal investigation.
On Oct. 4, Wallace visited a nightclub in Kennesaw to meet the woman. Investigators met Wallace at the nightclub.
The previous day, Wallace had purchased an airline ticket to send the woman to a client in Salt Lake City. The Utah client arranged to pay $1,500 to the woman and $1,000 to Wallace for her services in orchestrating the exchange.
In cooperation with the federal investigation, the woman travelled to Utah. The client remained unnamed in court documents, which also did not indicate whether the client was subsequently arrested.
About the Author
