Dorchester gang member sentenced to over 12 years in prison for sex trafficking minors

BOSTON — A Dorchester man was sentenced Monday in U.S. District Court in Boston for sex trafficking minors. The sentencing follows an investigation by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the Boston Police Department's Human Trafficking Unit and Homicide Unit.

Miriam Kizzie, aka "Keys" and "Keyshawn," 21, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge William G. Young to 153 months in prison and five years of supervised release. In February 2015, Kizzie pleaded guilty to two counts of sex trafficking of minors.

In July 2013, Kizzie met a 14-year-old and a 15-year-old girl, and, shortly thereafter, photographed the girls in suggestive poses. Kizzie created online advertisements for commercial sex using their photographs and posted the ads on the Internet. Over the course of the next week, both girls were repeatedly advertised online for prostitution and continued to see prostitution clients, primarily in Dorchester apartments, but also in the apartments of men who responded to the advertisements.

At Monday's sentencing hearing, the mother of each victim addressed the court explaining the impact that the trafficking had on their teenage daughters and their families. One of the victims, now 16-years-old, addressed the court herself and described not only the impact of Kizzie's actions but also her ongoing struggles as a result of the crime. She said, "He broke me. He lied to me. I've spent the past almost two years trying to put myself back together again."

In addition to the charges against Kizzie, the indictment charged Anthony Pledger aka "Polo," and "Jaden," 26, with sex trafficking two other minors in October 2013 in Massachusetts in Rhode Island. Court documents allege that Pledger and Kizzie were members of the Thetford Avenue Buffalos, a local Boston street gang. In February 2015, Pledger pleaded guilty to two counts of sex trafficking the two minors and is scheduled to be sentenced on May 28, 2015.

In fiscal year 2014, HSI identified more than 440 victims of human trafficking and arrested 1,770 perpetrators of this crime.

HSI is a leading agency in the fight against human trafficking and routinely works with federal, state, local and international law enforcement agencies, as well as non-governmental organizations, to identify and prosecute human traffickers and rescue their victims.

The agency's victim assistance program ensures victims receive services and access to resources in accordance with U.S. law.

Human trafficking victims are essentially modern-day slaves. They can be of any age, race, nationality or gender, although most sex trafficking victims are women. Victims of human trafficking are forced into prostitution, labor and other forms of servitude to repay debts. Vulnerable populations include at-risk youth, runaways and undocumented immigrants who may have been smuggled into the United States to an unfamiliar culture and fear law enforcement.

Human trafficking investigations often result from a tip from the general public. HSI encourages the public to report suspicious activity by calling its toll-free number: 1-866-347-2423. From outside the U.S. and Canada, callers should dial 802-872-6199. Tips can also be submitted online at www.ICE.gov/tips.