Maryland Man Indicted on Federal Charges Including Sex Trafficking of a Child, Production of Child Pornography, and Using a Website to Promote His Prostitution Business

 A federal grand jury has returned a superseding indictment charging Xavier Lee, a/k/a “X,” age 40, of Elkton, Maryland, on federal charges of using a website to promote and conduct his prostitution business, sex trafficking of a minor, production of child pornography, and interstate transportation for prostitution.  The superseding indictment was returned on December 11, 2019, and added the charges for sex trafficking of a minor, production of child pornography, and interstate transportation for prosecution.

According to the five-count superseding indictment, from 2013 through March 14, 2019, Lee operated an illicit prostitution business for financial gain, including operating a website to advertise and promote the business.  The indictment alleges that the website restricted its full content to viewers who logged-in as members and that Lee maintained control over the website’s membership.  Lee allegedly required prospective members to send Lee a picture of themselves that included in the picture their identification, such as a driver’s license.  Members were provided by Lee or at his direction a log in and password.  According to the indictment, website members could then view the “profiles” of the females whom Lee was prostituting, which included photographs, descriptions, and fictitious names.  The website also listed the cost of prostitution appointments, described services that were available, and allowed members to post comments.  The indictment alleges that Lee’s prostitution business was primarily operated at hotels in Elkton, Maryland, during weekdays, from Monday through Friday, with Lee typically driving a number of females whom he was prostituting to a local hotel in Elkton for prostitution appointments with paying customers.  Customers would contact Lee to schedule a prostitution appointment, often calling Lee on his cell phone.  To facilitate these prostitution appointments, Lee allegedly rented rooms at a local Elkton hotel. 

Further, the superseding indictment alleges that in April 2013 Lee trafficked a minor female for commercial sex acts, from which he financially benefitted.  According to the superseding indictment, in September 2013 and May 2014, Lee produced and appeared in two videos documenting the sexual abuse of another minor female victim, who was 15 and 16 years old at the time of the abuse.

If convicted, Lee faces a maximum sentence of five years in federal prison for using a website to promote and conduct his prostitution business; a mandatory minimum of 10 years and up to life in federal prison for sex trafficking of a minor; a mandatory minimum of 15 years and up to 30 years in federal prison for each of two counts of production of child pornography; and a maximum of 10 years in federal prison for interstate transportation for prostitution.  Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.  No court appearance is currently scheduled for Lee.