PEORIA, Ill. – A Normal man is going to federal prison for about ten years for luring young girls to Peoria-area hotel rooms to have sex.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office says Jahquan Howard, 29, was recently given that sentence after pleading guilty in April to a charge of Sex Trafficking of a Minor.
Prosecutors say in April of 2019, Howard rented hotel rooms in Peoria, took a minor to the hotels, gave her controlled substances, and used online ads to solicit men to the rooms to have sex with the girl.
He then collected payments as if the minor was a prostitute.
“The FBI and our law enforcement partners work every day to shut down sex traffickers and deliver justice for victims,” said FBI Springfield Field Office Acting Special Agent in Charge Shannon Fontenot, in a news release. “While this sentence effectively ends Jahquan Howard’s ability to sexually exploit children, the damage caused by this crime can linger for a lifetime for the victim. The FBI remains constant in our commitment to provide resources for victims to assist in the healing process.”
Howard could have received anywhere from ten years to life in prison for the crime.
