Des Moines Man Gets Life in Prison for Trafficking Homeless Women, Drugs and Witness Intimidation

DES MOINES, Iowa — Dave Shumpert III, 30, of Des Moines, was sentenced to life in prison in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Iowa after a jury found him guilty June 11 of sex trafficking, distribution of a controlled substance and obstruction, federal authorities said.

Shumpert was aided by co-defendant Haley Morrison, 30, also of Des Moines, according to court documents. Together, they coerced three women to perform commercial sex acts using physical force, threats of force, a coercive debt scheme, withholding of drugs and other threats of harm.

Authorities said Shumpert and Morrison targeted vulnerable young homeless women struggling with drug addiction, provided them with shelter and drugs, and then used violence and coercion to compel them to engage in commercial sex. The two advertised the women online, set prices for the sex acts, communicated with buyers, rented hotel rooms and kept most of the proceeds, court documents said.

Electronic communication evidence showed Shumpert directed Morrison on how to manage and control the victims. One victim testified about physical violence Morrison used, including hitting a victim with closed fists and dragging her by the hair. The victims described fear of homelessness, drug withdrawal and being indebted to Shumpert.

Shumpert continued his coercive scheme even after being arrested, placing thousands of calls to Morrison to discuss the criminal commercial sex business, according to the release. He also received more than $32,000 on his commissary accounts from the victims’ commercial sex proceeds. While incarcerated, Shumpert sought to intimidate and threaten a government witness by having someone outside the jail post threatening messages on his social media accounts.

Morrison previously pleaded guilty to sex trafficking by force, fraud and coercion on Nov. 25, 2025, and was sentenced Aug. 3 to 174 months in prison.

The jury convicted Shumpert of three counts of sex trafficking, conspiracy to commit sex trafficking, obstruction of a sex trafficking prosecution, distribution of a controlled dangerous substance to a person under 21, conspiracy to distribute a controlled dangerous substance and interstate travel in aid of racketeering.

“This sentence reflects the violent and reprehensible acts of coercion this defendant used to exploit the victims for his own personal profit,” said Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Human traffickers use people like disposable products for an illegal business and violate them in endless ways when doing so. We recognize the courage of the survivors who faced their abuser at trial, and today’s sentence ensures that Dave Shumpert will not victimize anyone else ever again.”

“The evidence developed through this investigation helped show the court how Shumpert exploited vulnerable women, profited from their abuse and attempted to obstruct justice even after his arrest,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Richard Sabatini of Homeland Security Investigations Kansas City. “HSI is proud of the investigative work that led to today’s sentence and delivered a measure of justice for the victims. HSI will continue to relentlessly pursue human traffickers who exploit vulnerable people through violence, coercion and fear.”

Chicagoland Man Convicted of Sex Trafficking, Forced Labor After Victims Describe Beatings, Gunfire and Lethal Overdose

GARY, Ind. — A federal jury in the Northern District of Indiana convicted Anthony Mayers, 36, of Gary, Indiana, of four counts of trafficking by force, fraud or coercion and other related charges, federal authorities announced.

The jury found Mayers guilty of four counts of sex trafficking, one count of forced labor and one count of felon in possession of a firearm. The verdict followed a nine-day trial.

Prosecutors said Mayers lured vulnerable women into his scheme with promises that they would make enormous sums of money or be provided safe housing or other needs. He then turned violent, coercing them to engage in commercial sex and taking the money they earned, according to court documents and trial evidence. Victims testified that he beat and threatened them, brandished a firearm and shot at them inside the house.

According to court documents, witness testimony and evidence presented at trial, Mayers compelled four victims to engage in commercial sex acts in his residence and for his financial benefit. He used fraud, physical violence, firearms, addictive narcotics and threats of physical force and death to keep the victims working under his control, authorities said.

Mayers used similar physical abuse and threats to compel another woman to work in his house daily, cleaning the “sex room” where he compelled the other victims to engage in commercial sex, according to the release.

One victim testified that she witnessed Mayers purposefully administer a “hot shot” — a lethal dose of narcotics — to another commercial sex worker, causing the woman to fatally overdose. Mayers then told the victim that she would suffer the same fate if she did not follow his rules, prosecutors said.

A second victim tried to leave Mayers’ residence in a car driven by another individual, only to have Mayers chase the car down the street, pull the victim from the car by her hair and slam her head into a nearby fence, continuing to beat her until she agreed to return, according to the release.

When a third victim tried to escape, Mayers prevented her from leaving with her friend and fired his gun at the friend’s car as she drove away, authorities said.

When law enforcement executed a search warrant at Mayers’ residence, they recovered a “ghost gun” with an extended magazine, two rifles, ammunition and cartridge casings. Law enforcement also observed numerous bullet defects in the walls of the residence.

“Anthony Mayers is an extremely violent sex trafficker who preyed upon vulnerable women for money,” said Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “The jury in this case heard testimony from the victims of how the defendant physically assaulted and intimidated them. He beat them, threatened them with death and bodily harm, and brandished firearms in their presence. The evidence included that he even administered a lethal injection to a heroin-addicted woman in front of one of the victims and forced that victim to help him move the body to an abandoned house. That is the pinnacle of fear and coercion. The jury’s verdict sends a clear message and helps vindicate the perils that the victims endured.”

“Traffickers rely on fear and violence to control their victims, but none of that will stop the FBI from bringing them to justice,” said Special Agent in Charge Timothy J. O’Malley of the FBI Indianapolis Field Office. “This criminal preyed on vulnerable women, abused them, and profited off their suffering. The FBI will relentlessly pursue violent offenders like him, break apart the coercive systems they build, and ensure they are held fully accountable for every act of harm they inflict.”

Jury Convicts Dallas Man in D.C. Sex Trafficking Case; Victim Testified He Strangled Her and Set Earning Quotas

WASHINGTON — A federal jury in the District of Columbia has convicted Devontee Parker, 38, of Dallas, of sex trafficking by force, fraud or coercion, interstate transportation for purpose of prostitution, and interstate travel in aid of racketeering, the Justice Department said.

Parker is scheduled to be sentenced on Feb. 3, 2027. He faces a minimum penalty of 15 years in prison and a maximum penalty of life in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Parker met the victim in 2021 while she was struggling with housing insecurity, financial instability and grieving the loss of a beloved family member. Parker made the victim believe he cared about her and enticed her to come live with him in Texas.

Once the victim agreed, Parker advertised her online, set prices for the commercial sex acts, and drove her to sex buyers in multiple states as well as the District of Columbia, authorities said.

Parker demanded that the victim turn over all her earnings to him and controlled her access to money, food and other necessities, according to the release. He also set a daily earning quota for the victim and punished her with violence if she did not make enough money.

The victim testified that during one incident, Parker strangled her until she lost consciousness. During another incident, he gave her a black eye. Parker also routinely looked through the victim’s phone to monitor her communications with others and forbade her from speaking with friends after they witnessed his abuse, authorities said.

Parker also introduced the victim to drugs, including cocaine, and routinely supplied her with illicit substances while instructing her to have sex with men for money, according to the release. After several unsuccessful attempts to leave Parker, the victim escaped in 2024 when he was arrested on prostitution-related charges by state authorities.

Parker was indicted in Texas in August 2026 on charges of sex trafficking by force, fraud or coercion related to additional victims, the release said.

“Devontee Parker trafficked vulnerable women by intimidating them with physical violence to make money,” said Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “The courage of the victim resulted in compelling testimony that secured this important conviction, which will ensure that Parker will never be able to traffic victims again.”

“I am proud of the deep expertise our prosecutors bring to human trafficking cases,” U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro for the District of Columbia said. “Their exceptional work is a key reason we hold a 100% conviction rate in these prosecutions. With FBI agents embedded in our office, we have strengthened both our commitment to eradicating human trafficking and the successful results we are seeing in court.”

“Today’s verdict underscores the victims’ remarkable courage and the unwavering commitment of our agents and partners who pursued justice in this case,” said Assistant Director in Charge Darren B. Cox of the FBI Washington Field Office. “The FBI will continue to lead aggressive investigations that hold traffickers accountable and connect victims with the support they need to rebuild their lives.”