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Ryan Odell Oliver, 40, also known as "Dre", Fame", and "Foreign" pleaded guilty on Tuesday, Aug. 17 to sex trafficking at least three victims, according to the Department of Justice.
In December 2018, one of Oliver's victims texted a non-profit sex trafficking prevention agency that she had been forced into prostitution and held against her will by Oliver, prosecutors said.
Upon the alert, an undercover detective made a commercial sex date with the victim in order to find her, they added. The detective arrived at the location and found the victim and another woman accompanied by Oliver, who fled before he could be arrested.
Law enforcement spoke to three women who Oliver was trafficking or attempting to traffic, according to the Department of Justice. Two of the women told officers they were trying to escape, but Oliver would not let them.
Two of the victims worked for Oliver in the Washington DC and Maryland area, as well as surrounding states. Oliver advertised all three of the victims online for commercial sex dates and kept all of the money made by his victims.
Oliver even made one of the victims get branded to him by having his nicknames "Foreign" and "Fame" tattooed on her, authorities said.
Oliver physically abused at least one of the victims, and would refuse to provide for her if she did not meet a certain daily quota, prosecutors continued. Another victim said that Oliver provided her with drugs, including heroin.
One of the victims was forced into having sex with Oliver after he met her on a social media platform and arranged for a car to take her to his home, they said.
After the assault, the victim met one of Oliver's now deceased co-conspirators who forced her to watch another sex trafficking victim conduct a sex date. The victim was told that if she escaped, Oliver would find her.
Oliver was arrested in Baltimore on Jan. 11, 2019. A search warrant of his property found several mobile devices, one of which had pictures of two of the victims.
“Oliver’s sex trafficking crimes were discovered because one of his victims reached out for help,” said Erek L. Barron, US Attorney for the District of Maryland. “As a result of this victim’s bravery, Oliver will now be brought to justice. If you are a survivor of human trafficking, please reach out for help and report sex traffickers at 866-DHS-2ICE.”
Sentencing for Oliver has been scheduled for Nov. 28 at 9:30 a.m.
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