A man from Jacksonville, Texas, has received a life sentence in federal prison for sex trafficking offenses. The announcement was made by U.S. Immigrations Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Dallas Special Agent in Charge Travis Pickard and acting U.S. Attorney Eastern District Texas Jay R. Combs.
Desnique Deshawn Herndon, 28, was sentenced to seven life terms by U.S. District Judge J. Campbell Barker on June 18. In 2023, a jury found Herndon guilty of six counts of sex trafficking of children and one count of conspiracy to commit sex trafficking of children after a five-day trial.
“Sex trafficking is one of the most appalling crimes in our society, exploiting the most vulnerable among us,” stated HSI Dallas Special Agent in Charge Travis Pickard. “Through our victim-centered investigations, we will spare no resource to protect communities and seek justice for those victimized by this modern-day slavery.”
Court testimony revealed that starting in 2019, Herndon trafficked several teenage girls for commercial sex acts. He recruited them via social media with false promises of wealth and housed them in hotels around Tyler. He then advertised explicit photos online offering commercial sex acts involving these minors, some as young as 13 years old. Evidence presented during the trial showed that Herndon used co-conspirators to maintain his operations while incarcerated so that the victims could generate income to pay his bond.
“Victimizing children through commercial sex trafficking is reprehensible and will be prosecuted vigorously in East Texas,” said acting U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs. “Herndon’s life sentence demonstrates our society’s intolerance for such callous disregard for others.”
Three co-conspirators have previously pled guilty related to these offenses: Malcolm Kadeem Roberts was sentenced to over 12 years federally and 75 years at the state level; Tavarus D. Watkins received a ten-year sentence; Patrick Lamont Cross Jr., who pleaded guilty last year, awaits sentencing.
The investigation involved multiple law enforcement agencies including Homeland Security Investigations Tyler Resident Agent in Charge, North Texas Trafficking Task Force, FBI Tyler Resident Agent in Charge, among others.
Assistant U.S Attorneys Ryan Locker and Alan Jackson along with Special Assistant U.S Attorney Bryan Jiral prosecuted this case.
For more information on HSI Dallas’ efforts towards public safety visit @HSI_Dallas on X.
