COLUMBIA, S.C. — A 34-year-old North Carolina man has been convicted of running a sex trafficking ring in South Carolina, North Carolina and New York.
Acting U.S. Attorney Beth Drake announced the conviction Friday of Samuel "Promise" Pratt of Gastonia, North Carolina. He was found guilty of sex trafficking, child pornography and gun charges. U.S. Judge Terry Wooten of Columbia will sentence Pratt later.
The maximum penalty on five of the eight counts is life in prison.
Drake says Pratt's conviction represents South Carolina's first jury verdict on human trafficking charges.
Drake says the four-day trial proved Pratt ran a prostitution business of both adults and juveniles. Two of the victims were 14-years-old and 17-years-old when they were recruited.
Pratt's mother, Daphne Pratt, previously pleaded guilty to conspiracy to sex traffic children.