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William Coleman, 49, of Springfield, has been sentenced to 186 months in prison and five years of supervised police, the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Massachusetts, said. In February, Coleman pleaded guilty to sex trafficking charges.
From 2016-2018, Coleman ran a prostitution ring in the Springfield and Hartford areas as well as other parts of Connecticut, the Attorney’s Office said.
Coleman used violence and drug addictions - typically heroin - to coerce 8 female victims into engaging in commercial sex acts with paying customers. The victims were usually required to turn over the money they earned to Coleman, who kept a tight hold on their daily lives, according to court documents.
Victims who did not do as Coleman said were beaten, sexually violated, and drugs were withheld, the U.S. Attorney’s Office said.
Coleman used websites to post prostitution ads to sell the victims.
The Massachusetts State Police, SpringfieldPolice, Hampden County Sheriff’s Office, Hampden District Attorney, FBI, the Western Mass Human Trafficking Working Group, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office contributed to Coleman’s investigation, arrest, and prosection.
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