Case Law Database

Trafficking in persons

United States v. Juan Rico Doss

Fact Summary

The defendant Juan Rico Doss and his wife Jacquay Quinn Ford, conspired to, and transported two female children, ages 14 and 16, from Nevada to California to work as prostitutes in Los Angeles, San Francisco, Oakland, and Sacramento.

Doss recruited and transported the 16-year-old victim by the use of force, and received money in exchange for allowing men to have sex with the two girls.  He also told the girls to lie about their age.  In his first trial, the youngest minor female victim, C.F., and Ford, refused to testify against Doss. Doss was then charged with witness tampering in addition to the sex trafficking crimes.

Commentary and Significant Features

Doss was one of the first defendants in the United States to receive a mandatory life sentence pursuant to 18 U.S.C. § 3559(e), which calls for mandatory life imprisonment for repeated sex offenses against children. 

Sentence Date:
2007-07-02
Author:
Human Trafficking Database of the University of Michigan Law School

Keywords

Trafficking in Persons Protocol:
Article 3, Trafficking in Persons Protocol
Article 5, Trafficking in Persons Protocol
Article 6, Trafficking in Persons Protocol
Acts:
Recruitment
Transportation
Means:
Threat or use of force or other forms of coercion
Abuse of power or a position of vulnerability
Purpose of Exploitation:
Exploitation of the prostitution of others or other forms of sexual exploitation
Form of Trafficking:
Internal
Sector in which exploitation takes place:
Commercial sexual exploitation

Cross-Cutting Issues

Gender Equality Considerations

Details

• Female principal offender

Procedural Information

Legal System:
Common Law
Latest Court Ruling:
Court of 1st Instance
Type of Proceeding:
Criminal

1st Instance:

Doss was indicted in 2005, along with his wife, Jacquay Ford, for numerous counts of sex trafficking of children, and transportation of minors into prostitution.

A mistrial resulted when the jury was unable to reach a verdict. A grand jury then issued a superseding indictment against Doss, adding three charges of witness tampering which involved C.F., Doss’s wife, and a fellow prisoner, Mark Cohn.

The second jury convicted Doss on all counts except for tampering with witness Mark Cohn.

 
 

Victims / Plaintiffs in the first instance

Victim:
Anonymous 1
Gender:
Child
Age:
14
Victim:
Anonymous 2
Gender:
Child
Age:
16

Defendants / Respondents in the first instance

Defendant:
Juan Rico Doss
Gender:
Male
Nationality:
American
Age:
38
Legal Reasoning:

The convictions would be the second time that Doss had been convicted for sex crimes against minors. Due to his previous conviction, he received the life sentence.

Defendant:
Jacquay Quinn Ford
Gender:
Female
Nationality:
American
Legal Reasoning:

The defendant pleaded guilty in exchange for reduced punishment.

Charges / Claims / Decisions

Defendant:
Juan Rico Doss
Legislation / Statute / Code:
18 U.S.C. § 1591(A)(1)
Charge details:
Sex Trafficking of Children
Verdict:
Guilty
Charge details:
Transportation of Minors into Prostitution
Verdict:
Guilty
Charge details:
Conspiracy to engage in sex trafficking of children and to transport minors into prostitution
Verdict:
Guilty
Charge details:
Two counts of witness tampering
Verdict:
Guilty
Lifetime imprisonment + 5 years supervised release, if released
Fine / Payment to State:
Yes  800  USD  (Up to 10,000 USD) Special assessment
Defendant:
Jacquay Quinn Ford
Charge details:
Conspiracy
Verdict:
Guilty
Term of Imprisonment:
1 year 3 Months
+ 36 months supervised release
Fine / Payment to State:
Yes  100  USD  (Up to 10,000 USD) Special assessment

Court

United States District Court for the Central District of California