Anchorage, Alaska – U.S. Attorney Bryan Schroder announced today that Terry Lee Keehn, II, 44, resident of Wasilla, Alaska, was sentenced yesterday by U.S. District Judge Timothy M. Burgess to serve 13 years, 10 months in prison, to be followed by a 10-year term of supervised release, for two counts of sex trafficking through force, fraud, and coercion.

According to documents filed in the case, on Jan. 13, 2016, Alaska State Troopers (AST) served a state search warrant on the defendant’s vehicle and house for evidence of the sex trafficking and drug crimes.  During a search of the defendant’s truck, law enforcement officers found a backpack with drug paraphernalia, including a digital scale, glass pipes, and unused baggies commonly used for distribution of drugs.  In a backpack in the truck was methamphetamine and heroin.

During the drug investigation, Troopers identified several women the defendant recruited to work for him as prostitutes in and around Anchorage and the Matanuska-Susitna Valley.  In his recruitment, the defendant targeted drug addicted women and recruited them to work for him by promising safe shelter and help getting off heroin.  In some instances, the defendant substituted methamphetamine for heroin, continuing the victims’ dependence on controlled substances.  In exchange for lodging, food, and drugs, the victims worked as prostitutes for the defendant, providing him with money and sexual favors.

Judge Burgess based his sentence primarily on the seriousness of the offense, the need to deter others, and the need to protect the public.  “There are a lot of serious crimes in the world, but [sex trafficking] is up there as being among the most serious,” said Judge Burgess.  Judge Burgess noted that the defendant targeted drug-addicted victims, and used that drug dependency “for his own benefit.”  The defendant’s conduct toward his victims was “incredibly manipulative, coercive, and demeaning,” said Judge Burgess, and was “going to impact [his victims] probably for the rest of their lives.”

The case was the product of an investigation by the Alaska State Troopers, Special Crimes Investigation Unit, and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA).  Assistant U.S. Attorney Kyle Reardon prosecuted the case.