Eric Jefferson, 41, of Pittsburgh, was sentenced to 25 years in federal prison on January 30, 2025, for sex trafficking. Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced the sentence, which was imposed by United States District Judge J. Nicholas Ranjan.
According to court documents, from June 2019 to April 2022, Jefferson coerced and forced at least four women into commercial sex work.
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He provided the women with drugs but withheld them if they refused to meet with clients, exploiting their addiction and vulnerability to withdrawal symptoms. Jefferson also used violence and threats to control the victims.
“Eric Jefferson forced these women to earn money on his behalf, controlling the victims both through physical force and exploiting their dependence upon narcotics,” said Acting United States Attorney Rivetti. “Working with our law enforcement partners, we will aggressively prosecute human traffickers such as Jefferson in order to protect and rescue the most vulnerable victims in our district.”
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FBI Pittsburgh Special Agent in Charge Kevin Rojek emphasized the commitment to protecting vulnerable individuals. “Protecting the most vulnerable members of our community will always be among the highest priorities for the FBI,” said Rojek. “The message this sentencing sends is clear: the FBI and our partners will aggressively pursue criminals who think they can prey on others.”
Prior to imposing the sentence, Judge Ranjan heard statements from the victims, highlighting the severity of Jefferson’s crimes and their devastating impact.
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