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An Alabama federal jury has convicted two Montgomery men on charges of sex trafficking multiple victims. After a four-day trial, the Middle District of Alabama jury found Kimani “Statik” Jones, 32, and his father, 50-year-old Tremayne Lambert, guilty, the U.S. Justice Department announced Friday. The jury found that Jones compelled seven victims, including two minors, to commit commercial sex acts between August 2016 and November 2020. Additionally, Jones was responsible for two of the victims – including a minor – being taken across state lines for prostitution, jurors concluded. The jury found Lambert guilty of sex trafficking one victim between August 2017 and February 2018 and two other victims between July 2019 and November 2020. Authorities said Lambert, who has a prior federal conviction for being a felon in possession of a firearm, facilitated his son’s coercive scheme by serving as a monitor of the victims and rule enforcer. Three additional Alabama residents previously pleaded guilty for their respective roles in the sex trafficking enterprise. Joseph Keon Bowe, 39, of Notasulga, and Daryle Gardner, 32, of Prattville each pleaded guilty to sex trafficking. Aleccia Scott, 29, of Montgomery, pleaded guilty to misprision of a felony, which means she had knowledge of the crime and not only failed to report it, but took steps to conceal the crime. The group was indicted in 2024. “The defendants targeted vulnerable women and girls before using physical and sexual violence, along with threats of violence against them and others, to create a climate of fear that terrified the victims,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “These defendants exploited the vulnerabilities of women and young girls for their own profit, showing complete disregard for human dignity,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Kevin Davidson. “Every victim deserves justice, and we will continue our efforts to ensure that those who prey on others are held accountable for their crimes.” Evidence at trial showed that Jones organized and led an extensive commercial sex operation. Jones rented hotel rooms where commercial sex acts occurred; provided food, clothing, and drugs to the victims; constructed advertisements for commercial sex that he then posted online to solicit customers; communicated with potential customers regarding the sex acts and prices involved for them; dictated in which cities the victims would live and engage in commercial sex acts, and set rules that he required the victims to follow. For example, authorities said, he would decide the minimal amount of money that they needed to earn per day. Jones did not have a lawful job during the years he ran his sex trafficking operation but instead lived off the earnings of the victims. Jones frequently flaunted the money that he made from the victims on social media, authorities said. Evidence showed, authorities said, that Jones used extensive violence against the victims and others in the victims’ presence. In one instance, he grabbed a victim, who was a minor at the time, by the throat and dragged her for moving too slowly. Jones routinely struck women in the face, knocking out one victim’s teeth, breaking another’s jaw, and striking one so hard she urinated on herself. Jones also sexually assaulted the victims to assert his dominance and control over them and threatened to hurt them and their family members. In one instance, he told a victim her son would not be able to play sports if his legs were broken. Jones, who also has a prior federal conviction for being a felon in possession of a firearm, intimidated the victims by brandishing, and shooting guns in the victims’ presence. Authorities said he manipulated the victims’ withdrawal from drugs, such as heroin and methamphetamine, to compel their continued commercial sex acts for his financial benefit. Both men face a minimum of 15 years and a maximum of life in prison. A sentencing date has not yet been announced. DHS-HSI, the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency, the Alabama Attorney General’s Office, the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office, and the Montgomery Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Tara Ratz for the Middle District of Alabama and Trial Attorney Kate Alexander of the Civil Rights Division’s Human Trafficking Prosecution Unit are prosecuting the case. “These defendants exploited the vulnerabilities of women and young girls for their own profit, showing complete disregard for human dignity,” said Middle District of Alabama Acting U.S. Attorney Kevin Davidson. “Every victim deserves justice, and we will continue our efforts to ensure that those who prey on others are held accountable for their crimes.” Anyone who has information about human trafficking should report that information to the National Human Trafficking Hotline toll-free at 1-888-373-7888, which is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
