Monday, April 19, 2010

Minneapolis Man Arrested in New Orleans for Sex Trafficking

April 19, 2010 - Ralph S. Boelter, Special Agent in Charge of the Minneapolis FBI office, today announced the federal arrest of Byronte Juwann Reed, age 28, of Minneapolis, Minnesota, in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Reed had been under indictment since August 2009 and had failed to appear for his February 2010 federal trial in St Paul on a three-count charge of sex trafficking of a minor. An FBI investigation initiated pursuant to an arrest warrant for violation of pre-trial release issued from United States District Court, District of Minnesota, revealed that Reed had possibly fled Minnesota and was staying at a townhouse off Jefferson Highway in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. On April 15, 2010 that information was passed to the FBI New Orleans field office and agents responded with local law enforcement, including the East Baton Rouge Parish Sheriff’s Office SWAT team. When agents arrived at the residence, Reed barricaded himself in the townhouse with a knife and refused to comply with orders to exit. After a three-and-a-half-hour standoff and lengthy negotiations, Reed surrendered and was taken into custody without further incident at approximately 6:45 p.m.

On Friday, April 16, 2010, Reed made his initial appearance in United States District Court, Baton Rouge, Louisiana, where he was ordered detained pending return to Minnesota for further court proceedings.

This case was investigated by the FBI in Minneapolis and Baton Rouge. The United States Attorney’s Office, District of Minnesota is prosecuting this case.

The charges in a federal criminal complaint are merely an accusation and defendants are presumed innocent until they are proven guilty.

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