A federal jury brought down sex trafficking convictions on a Buckhead area man.
Steven E. Thompson, 43, was found guilty of sex trafficking of a juvenile, conspiring to do the same and transportation for prostitution, according to the United States Attorney’s office in Atlanta.
Thompson, also known as “Silk,” reportedly worked with co-defendant Tierra Waters, who pleaded guilty to conspiracy to sex-traffic a minor, in running a prostitution business advertised on Backpage.com. Three advertised prostitutes have been reported, including one 17-year-old West African refugee.
The Attorney’s office reports the girl was listed from April to June of 2011 under legal ages, despite her minor status. Some of the men who paid for sex with her believed she was a consenting adult, according to the U.S. attorney, including one man who testified he was made aware of her age by Thompson who used the information in an attempt to black mail him for money.
She was temporarily in the custody of her grandmother, but became homeless again shortly after the caretaker left the country. In exchange for a place to sleep Thompson and Waters reportedly forced her to have sex with strangers for money.
The teen was later arrested in an undercover operation in Atlanta, according to the attorney’s office.
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