Florida man, Kevin Taylor, convicted in teen trafficking case
A Florida man was convicted on Tuesday in a human trafficking case, luring a teen girl into prostitution.
Kevin Otis Taylor, 22, of DeBary, used Facebook to recruit the 17-year-old and she ultimately went to police. Authorities worked with her, exchanging messages with Taylor under the supervision of a Sheriff’s Office investigator.
“So we worked with the victim, we set up a location, but when he arrived at the location he met our investigators rather than the victim,” Kim Cannaday of the Seminole County Sheriff’s Department said.
During that three-hour exchange, Taylor identified himself as a pimp and said he would keep most of the girl’s earnings, the report said.
A deputy posed as the girl to set up a meeting and Taylor was arrested. That was on June 23, 2015.
Taylor told a deputy that his only intent was to have sex with the girl, the report said.
WFTV 9 reported that Taylor has a pregnant fiance, telling the outlet that “She approached him on Facebook and that is how it all started” and that “He needs to be there for his daughter, and with him having a court date Aug. 15, it doesn’t look like he is going to be here for her…”
The trial began on August 8th with jury selection in Sanford, but the following day, Circuit Judge Debra Nelson granted a request for a delay and that panel was dismissed.
A new jury was selected Monday, and on Tuesday the Sanford jury convicted Taylor of human trafficking and an additional charge of unlawful use of a two-way communications device.
Taylor’s sentencing hearing is set for December 12.
HSI encourages the public to report suspected child predators and any suspicious activity through its toll-free Tip Line at 1-866-DHS-2-ICE or by completing its online tip form. Both are staffed around the clock by investigators. From outside the U.S. and Canada, callers should dial 802-872-6199. Hearing impaired users can call TTY 802-872-6196.
Suspected child sexual exploitation or missing children may be reported to the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children, an Operation Predator partner, via its toll-free 24-hour hotline, 1-800-THE-LOST.
For additional information about wanted suspected child predators, download HSI’s Operation Predator smartphone app or visit the online suspect alerts page.