Crime & Safety

Hercules Man Convicted on Charges of Transporting Minors for Prostitution

Jamal Raphael Broussard was in a federal courtroom in San Jose on Wednesday.

A Hercules man has pleaded guilty to federal charges that he transported underage girls throughout the U.S. for prostitution and acted as their pimp, according to federal prosecutors.

Jamal Raphael Broussard, 24, pleaded guilty Wednesday in a federal courtroom in San Jose to two charges of transportation of minors for prostitution as part of a plea agreement with the U.S. Attorney's Office.
 
Broussard faces at least 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine, according to prosecutors. He was initially charged last October on six counts, including sex trafficking of children and coercion and enticement for prostitution.
 
Prosecutors said the charges stemmed from his recruitment and transportation of two girls under 18 to engage in commercial sex acts. Broussard acted as the girls' pimp, providing them with clothes, giving instructions and posting photos of them as part of online prostitution ads, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office.

Prosecutors said the defendant admitted to arranging the girls' travel and setting them up with fake identification so that they could be transported from California to almost every other state for prostitution.
 
Broussard was arrested in connection with the crimes in October and has remained in custody in Santa Clara County Jail since then. His sentencing is set for Aug. 13 in federal court in San Jose.

Anyone who suspects instances of human trafficking is encouraged to call the FBI or the Human Trafficking Hotline at (888) 373-7888. Callers may remain anonymous. Suspected cases of child sexual exploitation or missing children can also be reported to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children at (800) 843-5678.

—By Bay City News


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