Chico Man Indicted on Federal Charges of Child Trafficking

December 16, 2017 | 

A Chico, California man was indicted by a federal grand jury in Sacramento on one count of sex trafficking. Christopher Lawrence, 23, was indicted on Thursday, December 14 charged with the sex trafficking of a child by force and coercion, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.

According to the indictment, between July and October 2017, Lawrence recruited his 17‑year-old female victim, and by force and coercion, caused her to engage in prostitution throughout Northern California. On October 12, 2017, law enforcement agents found the victim in a Chico hotel during a multi-agency operation targeting child sex trafficking. 

Lawrence allegedly forced her to have sex with men in various cities, including Sacramento, Yuba City, Gridley, Oroville, Chico, Corning, Redding, Bakersfield, Los Angeles, and in the Bay Area. Lawrence allegedly supplied the victim with drugs and physically assaulted her.

This case was the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant United States Attorneys Jill Thomas, Nirav Desai, and Amanda Beck are prosecuting the case.

If convicted, Lawrence faces a minimum term of 15 years in prison and a maximum statutory penalty of life in prison, and a $250,000 fine.  No trial date has been set.