Wisconsin man, woman plead guilty in North Dakota to sex trafficking children

FARGO, N.D. — An eastern Wisconsin man and woman have pleaded guilty to charges related to sex trafficking children across state lines.

These guilty pleas resulted from an investigation by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), and the North Dakota Bureau of Criminal Investigation (BCI).

Kurtis William Johnson, 26, and Tara Malinda Ridley, 26, both of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, pleaded guilty before U. S. District Judge Ralph R Erickson. Johnson pleaded guilty to two counts of sex trafficking children and one count of conspiracy to commit sex trafficking. Ridley pleaded guilty to one count of interstate travel in aid of prostitution.

This case came to the attention of law enforcement after the North Dakota Highway Patrol pulled over a rental vehicle driven by Kurtis Johnson. Inside the vehicle officers found Johnson, and adult woman and a 17-year-old female whom he was transporting from Milwaukee to Bismarck, North Dakota. Through questioning, authorities learned he was taking the women to North Dakota for the purpose of prostitution.

A subsequent investigation revealed that Johnson was provided narcotics by Tyrice Akins in exchange for transporting women and a juvenile to various locations throughout the United States for the purpose of prostitution. Johnson took people to various states including Florida, Louisiana, and North Dakota, throughout 2014 and 2015.

This investigation further revealed that Tara Ridley facilitated Tyrice Akins’ business enterprise involving prostitution by renting vehicles for Akins that were used by Johnson to transport the women to North Dakota and elsewhere.

Tyrice Akins was previously indicted in May 2015, and is currently awaiting a federal trial April 12.

This investigation was conducted under HSI’s Operation Predator, an international initiative to protect children from sexual predators. Since the launch of Operation Predator in 2003, HSI has arrested more than 14,000 individuals for crimes against children, including the production and distribution of online child pornography, traveling overseas for sex with minors, and sex trafficking of children. In fiscal year 2015, nearly 2,400 individuals were arrested by HSI special agents under this initiative and more than 1,000 victims identified or rescued.

HSI encourages the public to report suspected child predators and any suspicious activity through its toll-free Tip Line at 1-866-DHS-2-ICE or by completing its online tip form. Both are staffed around the clock by investigators. From outside the U.S. and Canada, callers should dial 802-872-6199. Hearing impaired users can call TTY 802-872-6196.

Suspected child sexual exploitation or missing children may be reported to the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children, an Operation Predator partner, via its toll-free 24-hour hotline, 1-800-THE-LOST.

For additional information about wanted suspected child predators, download HSI’s Operation Predator smartphone app or visit the online suspect alerts page.