WASHINGTON — This is an official press release from the U.S. Department of Justice (Criminal Division), published as received.
WASHINGTON – A Michigan woman was sentenced today to five years in prison for conspiracy to commit sex trafficking of a minor.
According to court documents, from around December 2021 through around March 2022, Latesha Gardner, 30, of Flint, Michigan, and her boyfriend, Charles Cunigan, conspired to sex traffic a minor victim and used force, fraud, or coercion to carry out the conspiracy. Cunigan and Gardner transported the minor victim across state lines, from Tennessee to Illinois, Louisiana, and Texas, for the purpose of causing her to engage in commercial sex acts. Specifically, Gardner taught the minor victim how to “pose sexy” for photos and used those photos to advertise the minor victim online for commercial sex. Gardner also participated in commercial sex encounters with the minor victim and would instruct the minor victim what to do during the encounters. If the minor victim did not comply with Cunigan’s demands, he would beat the minor victim, and on occasion, he directed Gardner to use physical force against the minor victim as well. In an altercation in February 2022, Cunigan punched and kicked the minor victim, and Gardner hit the minor victim with a liquor bottle and a high-heeled shoe. Cunigan and Gardner knew the minor victim was a juvenile throughout the timeframe of the conspiracy.
In addition to the prison sentence, Gardner was also ordered to serve three years of supervised release and pay $9,750 in restitution to the victim. After her release from prison, Gardner will be required to register as a sex offender under the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (SORNA).
Gardner pleaded guilty on June 18 to conspiracy to commit sex trafficking of a minor. Cunigan pleaded guilty on June 25 to conspiracy to commit sex trafficking of a minor and sex trafficking by force, fraud, or coercion. He is scheduled to be sentenced on Sept. 24.
Principle Deputy Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri, head of the Department of Justice’s Criminal Division, and U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans for the Eastern District of Louisiana made the announcement.
The case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations.
Trial Attorney Melissa E. Bücher of the Criminal Division’s Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Maria M. Carboni of the Financial Crimes Unit for the Eastern District of Louisiana are prosecuting the case.
