WASHINGTON — This is an official press release from the U.S. Department of Justice (Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF)), published as received.
WASHINGTON – A Texas man was sentenced today to 22 years and six months in prison for conspiracy to commit sex trafficking by force, fraud, or coercion.
According to court documents, in 2021 and 2022, Gregory Massey, 30, and his girlfriend and co-defendant Patricia Hart, 25, forced two adult victims to engage in commercial sex in different locations. Massey and Hart advertised the victims for commercial sex on websites, kept the money the victims made from commercial sex transactions, required the victims to earn a minimum dollar amount from commercial sex every day, and restricted the victims’ access to food. Massey also tracked the geolocation data on the victims’ phones so that they could not leave his control and used physical violence, including punching and strangling one victim while another watched, and threats of physical violence to force the victims to comply with his demands.
Massey pleaded guilty in January. He agreed to pay $128,800 in restitution to the victims. As a result of his plea, Massey must also participate in the sex offender registration and notification program.
Hart also pleaded guilty in November 2023 to conspiracy to commit sex trafficking. She is scheduled to be sentenced on June 25.
Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri, head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans for the Eastern District of Louisiana; and Special Agent in Charge Joshua Jackson of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Louisiana Field Division made the announcement.
Homeland Security Investigations, ATF, and the Louisiana State Police investigated the case.
Trial Attorney Melissa E. Bücher of the Criminal Division’s Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Maria M. Carboni for the Eastern District of Louisiana prosecuted the case.
