Attorney Sentenced to 46 Months for Enticement and Coercion to Engage in Prostitution

SAN DIEGO – United States District Judge Anthony J. Battaglia sentenced local attorney William David Turley to 46 months in custody for enticing a female to engage in prostitution. Judge Battaglia also ordered Turley to pay $50,000 in restitution to a minor victim involved in the case.

According to his plea agreement, on or about April 30, 2018, Turley began communicating with an adult female victim whom he met on the website sugardaddymeet.com. On or about May 3, 2018, Turley persuaded, induced, and enticed the victim to take a flight from a city in California to Las Vegas, Nevada to meet with him. Turley paid for the victim’s flight and other travel expenses. At the time the victim boarded the flight in California, she understood that she was traveling to Las Vegas to engage in sexual acts with Turley in exchange for monetary compensation. In Las Vegas, Turley provided the victim with between $1,500 and $1,800 in cash in exchange for sexual intercourse.

The plea agreement also states that on or about May 12, 2018, Turley began communicating with the minor female victim via sugardaddymeet.com. In conversations with the minor victim, they discussed that she was 18 years old. But he was aware that she was a high school student, that she could not meet on weekends because she was grounded, and that her parents had taken her cellphone away due to poor performance in school. Turley met with the minor victim on or about May 15, 2018, at a public library near her high school.

According to the plea agreement, on or about May 16, 2018, Turley again met the minor victim at the library after school and drove her to a store where Turley purchased the minor victim a cellphone. Turley then drove the minor victim a short distance, parked the car, and engaged in a sex act with the minor. The victim told Turley she wanted to stop and needed to get home. Turley gave the minor victim $300.

U.S. Attorney Robert Brewer praised the FBI, the San Diego Human Trafficking Task Force and prosecutors Jaclyn Stahl and Fred Sheppard for ensuring that Turley’s victims had a voice and saw justice done. “We are committed to enforcing the laws of the United States and will prosecute individuals who break the law regardless of their wealth, job title, or status,” Brewer said.

“Human trafficking and sex crimes involving our children cannot be tolerated,” said FBI Special Agent in Charge Scott Brunner. “The FBI will continue to work tirelessly to reveal these horrible crimes and bring safety and closure for the victims and our communities.”

DEFENDANT                                               Case No. 18-CR-4574-AJB

William David Turley                                     Age: 61                       San Diego, CA

SUMMARY OF CHARGES

Enticing and Coercing a Female to Engage in Prostitution, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 2422(a).

Maximum Penalty: Twenty years in prison, $250,000 fine.

INVESTIGATING AGENCIES

Federal Bureau of Investigation

San Diego Human Trafficking Task Force