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Date: 10-07-2020
Case Style:
Case Number: 2:18-cr-20028-JES-EIL
Judge: James E. Shadid
Court: United States District Court for the Central District of Illinois (Peoria County)
Plaintiff's Attorney: United States District Attorney’s Office, Peoria, Illinois
Defendant's Attorney:
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Description: Peoria, Illinois sex trafficking criminal defense lawyer represented Franshon Stapleton, a/k/a Shon, Big Shon, Big Bird and B.O.N., age 47, who was charged with sex trafficking young women in Central Illinois from 2016 to May 2018.
Following jury selection, as his trial was about to begin, Defendant, 47, entered pleas of guilty to sex trafficking young women in Central Illinois from 2016 to May 2018. Stapleton pleaded guilty to all the charges against him.
U.S. Attorney John Milhiser stated, “I commend the strength of the victims in this case who came forward to provide critical evidence against this defendant.” Milhiser also recognized the sustained efforts by federal and local law enforcement to locate, investigate and prosecute dangerous predators and remove them from our communities.
According to court documents, in 2017 and 2018, Stapleton, of Springfield, who was residing in a motel in Champaign Ill., exploited the vulnerabilities of young women, including their drug additions and homelessness, to force them to engage in commercial sex acts. Stapleton recruited young women from Champaign, Sangamon and Peoria counties, who often were dealing with the effects of heroin and crack cocaine addictions.
Stapleton used the website BackPage, which the Department of Justice seized in April 2018, to advertise commercial sex acts to be performed by the women he recruited. Stapleton used violence and threats of violence to force the women to engage in sex with men. To coerce women into continued sex trafficking, Stapleton supplied them with drugs and threatened to send women into withdrawal sickness by withholding drugs.
Stapleton has remained in law enforcement custody since his arrest in May 2018. Stapleton faces a statutory minimum sentence of 15 years and up to life in prison for each of the four sex trafficking counts. The penalty for each of the remaining charges to which he pleaded guilty is up to five years imprisonment for engaging in a conspiracy (one count) and for use of a facility of interstate commerce in aid of a racketeering enterprise (eleven counts).
The charges are the result of an investigation by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations; the Urbana Police Department; the Champaign County Sheriff’s Office; the Illinois State Police Forensics Laboratory; and, the Champaign Police Department with cooperation from Champaign County State’s Attorney Julia Reitz. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Elly M. Peirson and Ryan Finlen represent the government in the prosecution
Outcome: 09/28/2020 Minute Entry for proceedings held before Judge James E. Shadid: Present in open court at 9:10 AM: On behalf of the Govt, AUSAs Elly Pierson and Ryan Finlen with S.A. Michael Mitchell and Asst. Staci Klayer; and ProSe Dft Franshon Stapleton for Jury Trial on Monday, 9/28/2020.
USMS security concerns outlined on the record. Parties indicate discussion have been on-going as to a possible resolution of this matter. Court recesses to allow parties to continue discussions. Nevertheless, parties announce readiness for trial. Govt moves to quash warrant as to material witness - SO ORDERED. Motion 298 MOOT. Prospective jurors sworn in by the Jury Clerk in the jury assembly room. At 9:59 AM, prospective jurors enter the courtroom. Preliminary remarks by the Court. Parties are introduced and the Witness Lists and Indictment are read in open court. Prospective jurors questioned. Parties assess strikes and supply to the Court. 15 jurors selected, sworn, and empaneled (12 jurors and 3 alternates). Court recesses for a lunch break with Jurors directed to reconvene at 1:00 PM in the jury assembly room.
At 12:50 PM, outside the presence of the jury, parties re-assemble in open court. Notice of Conditional Plea filed in open court by both parties. CHANGE OF PLEA HEARING HELD: Dft enters plea of GUILTY to counts 1-16 and agrees to the forfeiture as contained in the superseding indictment. Court accepts the plea and matter is referred to the U.S. Probation Office for a Presentence Investigation and Report. Judgment of conviction entered. Court schedules the Dft for sentencing on 1/29/2021 at 9:00 AM in Courtroom A in Peoria before Judge James E. Shadid.
At the request of Govt, Jane Doe is released from conditional bond. Dft remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshal. (Court Reporter NM) (JRK, ilcd) Modified on 9/29/2020 to correct date filed(JRK, ilcd). (Entered: 09/29/2020)
09/28/2020 303 NOTICE of Conditional Plea by USA and Franshon Stapleton.(JRK, ilcd) (Entered: 09/29/2020)
09/28/2020 304 +++ SEALED DOCUMENT - ORIGINAL NOTICE of Conditional Plea UNREDACTED by USA and Franshon Stapleton. (JRK, ilcd) (Entered: 09/29/2020)
09/28/2020 TEXT ONLY ORDER REASSIGNING CASE as to Franshon Stapleton entered by Judge James E. Shadid on 9/28/2020: This case reassigned to Judge James E. Shadid for further proceedings. Judge Michael M. Mihm no longer assigned to case as to Dft Stapleton. (JRK, ilcd) (Entered: 09/29/2020)
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