San Francisco, California - Justin Everett Crutchfield and Demontae Terrell Toliver pleaded guilty in federal court yesterday to posting information about a minor on the Internet to solicit prostitution customers, announced United States Attorney Melinda Haag and FBI Special Agent in Charge David Johnson.
In pleading guilty, Crutchfield and Toliver both admitted that on or about June 18, 2013, they posted a telephone number for the minor, who they knew to be under the age of 16, on the Internet site myRedbook.com, along with photographs of her, with the intent to solicit others to pay to engage in sexual activity with her. At the time of his arrest, Crutchfield was employed as a Peer Health Counselor with the Santa Clara County Department of Mental Health.
Crutchfield, 28, and Toliver, 24, both of San Jose, were indicted by a federal Grand Jury on January 29, 2014. They were charged with four counts, including two counts of sex trafficking of a minor, in violation of 18 U.S.C. §1591, two counts of production of child pornography, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 2251(a). Under the plea agreement, both Crutchfield and Toliver pleaded guilty to a superseding information charging a single count of use of an interstate wire to transmit information about a minor for criminal sexual activity, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 2425.
Toliver is currently being held in the Santa Clara County Main Jail, pending sentencing, while Crutchfield, who had been in custody since June 2013, was released to home confinement with his parents in March 2015. Bail for Crutchfield was set at $ 150,000.
Toliver’s sentencing hearing is scheduled for October 5, 2015, before the Honorable Ronald M. Whyte, U.S. District Court Judge, in San Jose. Crutchfield’s sentencing hearing is scheduled for December 14, 2015, also before Judge Whyte in San Jose. The maximum statutory penalty for each count in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 2425 is five years and a fine of $ 250,000, plus restitution to the minor victims. However, any sentence will be imposed by the court only after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the federal statute governing the imposition of a sentence, 18 U.S.C. § 3553.
Amie Rooney is the Assistant U.S. Attorney who is prosecuting the case with the assistance of Laurie Worthen. The prosecution is the result of a joint investigation by the San Jose Police Department Human Trafficking Task Force and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Anyone who suspects instances of human trafficking are encouraged to call the FBI or the Human Trafficking Hotline at 1-888-373-7888. Anonymous calls are welcome.
In addition, suspected child sexual exploitation or missing children may be reported to the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children, via its toll-free 24-hour hotline, 1-800-843-5678.
