Bastrop Man Sentenced in Human Trafficking Case

United States Attorney Brandon B. Brown announced that
Deray Montrez Richard, 38 of Bastrop, Louisiana, has been sentenced by United States
District Judge S. Maurice Hicks, Jr. to 228 months (19 years) in prison in connection with a
human trafficking case. Richard was also ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $9,000.
“This is another case of a defendant taking advantage of vulnerable individuals in our
society for selfish reasons,” said U.S. Attorney Brandon B. Brown. “We know that there are
many other instances of human trafficking and forced labor across our district and we are
committed to funneling resources toward combating such heinous activity.”
According to evidence presented to the court, Richard met a 20-year-old female
(Victim 1) on Facebook in the fall of 2020 and he convinced her to travel with him. In
December 2020, Richard and another female (Victim 2) drove to Kentucky to pick up Victim
1 in order to prostitute for Richard. Once they picked her up, Richard and the two females
drove to Mesquite, Texas where they got two hotel rooms. While in Mesquite, at Richard’s
direction, Victim 1 saw several johns and performed sexual acts in exchange for money.
Richard kept the money and in fact physically assaulted and forced Victim 1 to engage in
prostitution. Richard left Mesquite with the two female victims, arrived in Bossier City,
Louisiana on December 12, 2020, and rented two rooms at a local hotel. While in Bossier
City, Richard directed Victim 1 to post escort ads on the internet advertising sexual services.
He later got into an argument with Victim 1 that escalated to him beating her.
On December 13, 2020, Richard and the two female victims moved to another hotel
in Bossier City and rented two rooms. While there, both female victims saw several johns and
performed sexual acts at Richard’s direction. Later that day, Richard began to physically
assault both female victims at the hotel. Victim 1 was able to flee the room and report the
fight to the hotel clerk, then ran to a nearby convenience store for assistance. Officers with the
Bossier City Police Department arrived, and Richard was arrested. After further investigation
by agents with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Richard was indicted by a federal
grand jury on human trafficking charges. Richard pleaded guilty to a charge of sex trafficking
by force, fraud or coercion in February 2023.
The case was investigated by the FBI and Bossier City Police Department and
prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Earl M. Campbell.