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Philip Walker, 39, of Pittsburgh, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit sex trafficking by force, fraud, or coercion before United States District Judge Cathy Bissoon, the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Western District of Pennsylvania said.
Between November 2019 and April 2022, Walker systematically recruited and lured adult women in Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Florida, and Texas, exploiting them through threats, deception, and violence to force them into the sex trade, according to prosecutors.
Walker, also known as "Sean Santana" and "Money," was initially indicted in May 2022 along with co-conspirator Anjali Lindsey, 22, of Kensington, Maryland. Prosecutors said Walker used the internet and cell phones to facilitate the trafficking operation and forced some victims to travel across state lines, including from Ohio to Pennsylvania, for prostitution.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation and Pittsburgh Bureau of Police Narcotics Division uncovered the operation, which is part of Operation T.E.N. (Trafficking Ends Now), a coordinated effort to dismantle human trafficking networks. Authorities have urged additional potential victims to come forward by contacting the FBI's Pittsburgh Field Office at (412) 432-4000.
Walker now faces a potential life sentence and a $250,000 fine when he is sentenced on May 29, 2025. His fate will be determined based on federal sentencing guidelines and his criminal history, authorities said.
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