Owner Of Illegal Massage Parlor Sentenced To 400 Months In Prison For Sex Trafficking

 United States Attorney Erica H. MacDonald today announced the sentencing of OMAR KASHAKA TAYLOR a/k/a “Shaka,” 46, to 400 months in prison for sex trafficking two victims, including one minor victim. TAYLOR, who was convicted on all counts by a federal jury on February 5, 2019, was sentenced today before Senior Judge Donovan W. Frank in U.S. District Court in St. Paul, Minnesota.

“Omar Taylor is a coercive sex trafficker who pursued and exploited vulnerable victims for his own financial profit,” said United States Attorney Erica MacDonald. “The 400-month sentence handed down today is appropriate in light of the trauma Mr. Taylor inflicted upon his victims.”

“Today’s sentencing will hopefully close a painful chapter in the lives of the survivors of Mr. Taylor’s heinous actions,” said Tracy J. Cormier, HSI St. Paul special agent in charge. “We’re confident that this significant sentencing will empower others, who are facing similar circumstances to come forward, knowing that they will be fully supported and that their captors will face justice.”

As proven at trial, from August 2017 through March 2018, TAYLOR, a registered sex offender, operated an illegal massage business out of his northeast Minneapolis residence. TAYLOR recruited several young women and girls, at times targeting Native American and First Nation women and girls, to work in his illicit massage business and then, through force, threats of force, fraud, and coercion, caused them to perform commercial sex acts in exchange for money for his own financial benefit. TAYLOR used Backpage.com to solicit prospective clients by posting advertisements with photos of the victims, offering massage services that would include commercial sex acts.

This case was the result of an investigation conducted by Homeland Security Investigations, the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, the Minnesota Human Trafficking Investigators Task Force, and the Beltrami County Sheriff’s Office.

Assistant United States Attorneys Manda M. Sertich and Michelle E. Jones prosecuted the case.

Defendant Information:

OMAR KASHAKA TAYLOR, a/k/a “Shaka,” 46

Minneapolis, Minn.

Convicted:

• Sex trafficking of a minor, 1 count
• Sex trafficking by force, fraud and coercion, 2 counts
• Commission of a felony offense involving a minor when required to register as a sex offender, 1 count

 

Sentenced:

• 400 months in prison
• 25 years of supervised release