A California man was sentenced to life in prison and a lifetime of supervised release Tuesday for sex trafficking, conspiracy to commit sex trafficking and interstate transportation for purposes of prostitution, the Department of Justice said in a press release.
Michael Deon Fulcher, 54, of Gardena, was found guilty in January 2024 after abducting an injured woman in Las Vegas in April 2020 after promising to help her and giving her a ride in his car, the press release stated. Fulcher then took her to his home and sexually assaulted her, according to the release.
California Man Sentenced for Sex Trafficking and Related Offenses for Forcing Victim to Engage in Commercial Sex Across the Country
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— DOJ Civil Rights Division (@CivilRights) May 1, 2024
Fulcher and co-defendant Jonzie Hamilton transported the woman to California, forcing her to engage in commercial sex acts for several weeks, the release said. Fulcher then sent the victim with Hamilton to Colorado, New Mexico, Texas, Louisiana and Mississippi, where the victim escaped in June 2020, the release stated. (RELATED: Florida Man Charged In New York With Trafficking Multiple Women For Sex And Targeting A Minor)
Throughout her abduction, Fuller subjected the victim to “strict rules,” threatened her with physical harm, prevented her from contacting others and confiscated her money, according to the release. She was denied critically needed medical treatment for a chronic illness, the release said.
At one point, Fuller “had an unlicensed dentist pull out her teeth,” the release stated.
“This significant sentence imposed by the court reflects the severity of the defendant’s abuse and exploitation of the victim,” Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division said in the press release. “This defendant traumatized the victim, robbed her of her dignity and deprived her of the choice and control essential to her personal autonomy by forcing her to engage in prostitution for his own profit. The Justice Department will vigorously prosecute human trafficking crimes to hold offenders accountable and to seek justice for survivors of these heinous crimes.” (RELATED: CHAD WOLF And ROBERT LAW: The American People Don’t Want To Be Complicit In Human Trafficking At The Border)
FBI Jackson Field Office, Gulfport Resident Agency investigated the case that was tried in the Southern District of Mississippi, the press release stated.
Human trafficking “happens all over the country in a variety of ways,” U.S. Attorney Todd Gee for the Southern District of Mississippi said in the release. “The strength and resiliency of the victim in this case to escape the defendant and then report what happened will ensure that he never harms anyone else again. But this crime sadly still occurs all too often, and law enforcement needs your help to stop it.”
Hamilton pleaded guilty to interstate transportation for purposes of prostitution and was scheduled for sentencing on Jan. 31, WJTV reported.