A 36-year-old Minneapolis man will spend the next 293 months in federal
prison for the sex trafficking of a minor.
Federal District Court Judge David S. Doty sentenced Daniel McNeal
Nov. 5 in Minneapolis. McNeal pleaded guilty May 1, 2007, to one count
of the sex trafficking of a minor and one count of transporting a minor
with the intent to engage in criminal sexual activity.
“The sentence imposed reflects the seriousness of the offense,” Doty
stated before the court, adding that he was sentencing McNeal based on
all of the relevant factors, including the age of the victim, McNeal’s
criminal history, and the “grave public interest in ceasing human
trafficking.”
According to court documents, McNeal admitted that in August 2006 he
enticed a 16-yearold Minnesota girl into prostitution. He also admitted
that in September 2006 he transported that girl from Minnesota to Iowa,
and while in Iowa, engaged in sexual intercourse with her on numerous
occasions. Following that trip, he transported her to Texas and South
Carolina, where he caused her to work as a prostitute for his financial
benefit.
McNeal, who also goes by the names of “Diamond” and “Daddy,” has
a long criminal history, including assault, aggravated robbery and prostitution-related
offenses. He is also recognized as a criminal sex offender in connection
with a 2001 conviction in Texas for enticement to travel in interstate
commerce for the purpose of prostitution. He was also charged earlier
this year with failing to provide the Minnesota Sex Offender Registry
with current information about himself.
According to the sentence, McNeal will serve 293 months in prison for
each count, which will be served concurrently. He will also be under
a lifetime supervised release after he is released from prison, and must
register as a sex offender.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Erica
H. MacDonald. It was the result of an investigation conducted by the
Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Hennepin County Sheriff’s
Office, and the Gerald D. Vick Human Trafficking Task Force. The task
force was named for the slain St. Paul police officer who dedicated his
professional life to eradicating the trafficking and prostitution of
people. The task force was established with federal funds and is comprised
of investigators from the FBI, the U.S. Immigration and Custom Enforcement,
the police departments of Minneapolis and St. Paul, the sheriff’s
offices of Hennepin and Ramsey county, and other agencies.
The U.S. Department of Justice reports that an estimated 600,000 to
800,000 people are trafficked annually across international borders for
involuntary servitude or use in the sex trades. An estimated 14,500 to
17,500 are trafficked within the U.S. each year. According to the Justice
Department, the Twin Cities metropolitan area is one of the 15 largest
human trafficking centers in the nation.
“We agree with Judge Doty that there is a grave interest in ceasing
human trafficking,” said
U.S. Attorney Rachel K. Paulose. “Recent studies have shown that
Minnesota has been especially vulnerable to human trafficking, and we
are grateful for the law enforcement partnership that we believe will
bring an end to this horrific crime.”
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