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WILKES-BARRE — The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced today that a man pleaded guilty to attempted sex trafficking of a minor.
Adrian Smith, 21, of New York, pleaded guilty on Wednesday before U.S. Magistrate Judge Joseph F. Saporito, Jr., in Wilkes-Barre.
According to U.S. Attorney Bruce D. Brandler in a news release, Smith admitted to assisting others in maintaining a minor for the purpose of having the minor engage in prostitution at a hotel in Scranton in August. Smith also allegedly admitted that he provided prostitutes with a place to stay and provided protection for the minors in connection with the attempted sex trafficking activities.
Saporito ordered a pre-sentence investigation to be completed. Sentencing in the case will be scheduled by Senior U.S. District Court Judge Richard P. Conaboy.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Scranton Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Francis P. Sempa is prosecuting the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims.
A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.