A California man, Michael Deon Fulcher, 54, of Gardena, has been sentenced to life in prison and a lifetime of supervised release for sex trafficking, conspiracy to commit sex trafficking, and interstate transportation for purposes of prostitution. Fulcher was found guilty by a jury in January.
Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division emphasized the severity of Fulcher's actions, stating, “This significant sentence imposed by the court reflects the severity of the defendant’s abuse and exploitation of the victim.”
U.S. Attorney Todd Gee for the Southern District of Mississippi highlighted the prevalence of human trafficking, stating, “Human trafficking is not just a plot for Hollywood movies. It happens all over the country in a variety of ways, and even here in Mississippi as the tragic facts of this case show.”
Assistant Director Michael Nordwall of the FBI’s Criminal Investigative Division noted, “This investigation exemplifies how human trafficking is not just a physical crime but is also conducted through emotional and psychological abuse.”
The evidence presented at trial revealed that Fulcher used various tactics, including sexual assault, threats of violence, isolation, control, psychological manipulation, and emotional abuse to force the victim into engaging in commercial sex between April and June 2020. Fulcher even went as far as having an unlicensed dentist pull out the victim's teeth.
Fulcher and a co-defendant, Jonzie Hamilton, compelled the victim to engage in commercial sex acts in multiple states across the country, including Colorado, New Mexico, Texas, Louisiana, and Mississippi where the victim eventually escaped.
Hamilton, Fulcher's co-defendant, was previously sentenced to 29 months in prison for her involvement in the interstate transportation for prostitution.
The FBI Jackson Field Office, Gulfport Resident Agency, investigated the case, with Trial Attorneys Kate Alexander and Francisco Zornosa of the Civil Rights Division’s Human Trafficking Prosecution Unit leading the prosecution with the assistance of Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrea Jones for the Southern District of Mississippi.
Authorities urge anyone with information about human trafficking to report it to the National Human Trafficking Hotline at 1-888-373-7888, which is available 24/7. More information about human trafficking and the Justice Department's efforts to combat it can be found at www.justice.gov/humantrafficking.