Date: 02-09-2016

Case Style: United States of America v. Travis Sentall Robinson, a/k/a “Triggaplay,” a/k/a “Trigga”

Case Number: 1:14-cr-00176-RWS-JSA

Judge: RWS

Court: United States District Court for the Northern District of Georgia (Fulton County)

Plaintiff's Attorney: Jessica C. Morris and Phyllis Clerk

Defendant's Attorney: Jeffrey Lyn Ertel - FPD

Description: Atlanta, GA - Lawrenceville Pimp Convicted of Sex Trafficking

Travis Sentall Robinson, a/k/a “Triggaplay,” a/k/a “Trigga,” of Lawrenceville, Georgia, was convicted last week following a three-week jury trial of multiple sex-trafficking charges, including conspiracy to commit and commission of sex trafficking of a minor and sex trafficking by force, fraud or coercion.

“Calling himself the ‘King of Diamonds,’ Robinson attempted to build a sex trafficking empire by exploiting vulnerable young women and a minor,” said U.S. Attorney John Horn. “Thanks to the courage of his victims and the diligence of the law enforcement officers whose efforts led to his arrest, Robinson is now officially out of business.”

“The FBI is pleased with the role that it played in getting Mr. Robinson and his co-defendant Ladrigus Stuckey off of our streets. Robinson, in particular, displayed a complete disregard for those who he exploited within sex trafficking industry. The conviction of Robinson and the earlier guilty plea of Stuckey should resonate among those other individuals out there who might consider this reprehensible criminal conduct acceptable. The FBI and its law enforcement partners have made human trafficking a priority matter,” said J. Britt Johnson, Special Agent in Charge, FBI Atlanta Field Office.

“The jury saw Robinson for what he truly is - a predator,” stated Lt. Christopher Rafanelli, Gwinnett County Police Department. “The verdict is the result of countless hours of hard work and cooperation by the Gwinnett Vice Unit and the FBI. My hope is that this outcome will serve as a warning to anyone that is considering sexually exploiting victims in Georgia.”

According to U.S. Attorney Horn, the charges, and evidence presented during the trial: From the summer of 2013 until his arrest at a hotel in downtown Atlanta on May 14, 2014, Robinson, the self-proclaimed “King of Diamonds,” ran a commercial sex operation he referred to as the “Queen of Diamonds.” Robinson used fraud to recruit female victims between the ages of 17 and 22, promising to hire the victims as models and party promoters for his business. Five of the victims testified at trial that Robinson lured them into prostitution by claiming that he was connected to Atlanta’s music scene and to a Grammy-nominated musician and producer. Robinson bought plane or bus tickets for the victims to travel to Atlanta and then, upon their arrival, invited the victims to live at his large Lawrenceville home. He took them shopping, to a recording studio, and to nightclubs.

After Robinson’s victims were indebted to and trusted him, he posted the victims’ names in “escort” sections of online classified websites. Robinson then forced the victims to commit commercial sex acts with customers who responded to the ads. Robinson’s scheme used force, threats of force, and psychological coercion to force his victims to engage in prostitution and involved regular beatings of the victims, causing them to suffer black eyes and other injuries. Several victims testified that Robinson frequently assaulted other victims in their presence, further increasing the victims’ fear of disobeying or attempting to escape from him. He required the victims to work seven days a week, plying them with a drug, “Molly,” so that they could work without sleep. He installed a program on their cell phones that enabled him to read their text messages and monitor their locations. And he kept the victims’ earnings, requiring them to ask permission to use money for food and personal hygiene items.

The evidence at trial established that Robinson caused the victims to travel to at least nine states for the purpose of committing commercial sex acts, including Alabama, Florida, South Carolina, North Carolina, Louisiana, Indiana, Illinois, Mississippi and New York. Robinson also used hotels throughout the metro-Atlanta area for his sex-trafficking operation. He spent at least $31,000 on hotel rooms for this purpose between September 2013 and April 2014.

The jury convicted Robinson of 10 counts. He faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years of imprisonment and up to a statutory maximum sentence of life imprisonment for six counts of sex trafficking by force, fraud or coercion. He faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years of imprisonment and up to a maximum sentence of life imprisonment for a single count of sex trafficking of a minor. And, he faces up to 20 years of imprisonment for two counts of obstruction. Robinson could also receive a maximum fine of $250,000 on each count of conviction, and he must register as a sex offender. In determining the actual sentence, the Court will consider the United States Sentencing Guidelines, which are not binding but provide appropriate sentencing ranges for most offenders.

Robinson’s co-conspirator, Ladrigus Dondrea Stuckey a/k/a “Dreek,” pled guilty to conspiracy to commit sex trafficking by force, fraud or coercion on September 11, 2015.

Robinson’s and Stuckey’s sentencing dates have not yet been set.

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Gwinnett County Police Department with the assistance of the FBI's Metro Atlanta Child Exploitation (MATCH) Task Force, a partnership of police departments in the Atlanta area working together to identify, investigate, and prosecute organized child prostitution enterprises.

For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at USAGAN.PressEmails@usdoj.gov
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or (404) 581-6016. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga.

Outcome: Convicted

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