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South LA woman indicted on sex trafficking charges

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The U.S. Attorney’s office announced this week the indictment of a South Los Angeles woman–who describes herself on social media as “The Most Hated Hoe in LA’’–on federal sex trafficking charges that include allegations that she used the internet to solicit two underage girls to engage in prostitution, the U.S. Attorney’s Office announced.

Melanie Denae Williams, who uses the moniker “Pretty Hoe’’ on several social media platforms, was named in a five-count indictment returned by a federal grand jury in Los Angeles. The indictment specifically alleges one count of sex trafficking an adult by force, fraud, or coercion; two counts of sex trafficking of a minor; and two counts of enticement of a minor to engage in prostitution.

Williams, 22, has been held without bond in a federal lockup since she was taken into custody on Feb. 7 pursuant to a criminal complaint that followed her initial Christmas Eve arrest by local authorities, according to federal prosecutors.

The affidavit in support of the complaint outlines Williams’ alleged abuse of a woman she had recruited via social media to work as a prostitute. Williams allegedly ordered the unnamed victim to strip off her clothes, and then threw bleach on the woman and beat her with her hands and a broomstick, according to the affidavit.

Williams is scheduled to be arraigned tomorrow in federal court in downtown Los Angeles.

If convicted of any of the charges in the indictment, Williams would face a potential life sentence. Each of the five charges carries a mandatory minimum sentence. The charge of sex trafficking by force, fraud or coercion carries a mandatory penalty of 15 years, and each of the four counts related to minors carries a mandatory minimum of 10 years behind bars, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office.

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