Rockford Man Indicted on Charges of Sex Trafficking

ROCKFORD — A Rockford man was indicted today by a federal grand jury on charges of sex trafficking.

TRAVIS THOMAS, also known as “Travis Thompson,” “Dontaveous Harper,” and “Dontavious Harper," 28, was charged with sex trafficking and transporting an individual in interstate commerce for the purposes of prostitution.

As alleged in the indictment, Thomas coerced the victim to engage in sex acts from December 2017 to April 2018, and transported the victim from Illinois to Wisconsin and Texas in February 2018 to engage in prostitution.

The indictment was announced by John R. Lausch, Jr., United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, and Jeffrey Sallet, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.  The Hoffman Estates Police Department assisted in the investigation. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Monica V. Mallory.

The sex trafficking count is punishable by a statutory minimum sentence of 15 years in prison, and a maximum of life in prison.  Transporting an individual for prostitution is punishable by up to ten years in prison.  Transportation of an individual for prostitution through coercion is punishable by up to a maximum of life in prison.  If convicted, the Court must impose a reasonable sentence under federal sentencing statutes and the advisory United States Sentencing Guidelines. 

The public is reminded that an indictment contains only charges and is not evidence of guilt.  The defendant is presumed innocent and is entitled to a fair trial at which the government has the burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.