Windley pleaded guilty on July 11, 2012, to conspiracy to engage in sex trafficking, in violation of 18 U.S.C. §§1594(c) and 1591(a).
He “befriended” multiple young women, and lured them into the business by offering drugs, cash, clothing, jewelry, material goods, and the promise of an extravagant lifestyle. Windley targeted those who were the most vulnerable, including victims who had been previously abused as children, came from broken families or were “running away” from home. Some of the victims simply did not have enough money to provide for their children.
Once recruited, Windley used physical force, violence, coercive acts and threatened the use of violence against family members to prevent the women from leaving the business. The victims described how the defendant repeatedly struck, punched, kicked, pushed, raped, and used other physical acts and intimidation to scare and bully them. Windley also engaged in various forms of psychological manipulation and emotional coercion against the victims by using their sense of shame or feelings of guilt and existing family issues to control the victims. One victim was confined to a hotel room for a period of several months, during which time he physically and sexually abused her, and forced her to work as a prostitute.
All revenues generated by the business were to be given to Windley. The women were forbidden from socializing with other women, and they were never permitted to leave the business or have contact with other black males.
Windley used the Internet to advertise the sexual services of the young women, and also used stolen credit card numbers to manufacture forged credit cards that were then used to supplement the operating expenses of the business.
“The sentencing of George Windley signifies the end of a sex trafficking group that preyed on young women in order to place them into sexual servitude for financial gain” stated FBI Special Agent in Charge Douglas G. Price, Phoenix Field Office. “The actions by Windley and others were humiliating and violent towards the trafficked females. The FBI and our law enforcement partners are committed to holding those accountable who choose to participate in the practice of modern day slavery for the purpose of prostitution.”
The investigation in this case was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Phoenix Police Department and the Scottsdale Police Department.