KANSAS CITY, Mo. — A Kansas City, Missouri, man who previously admitted to his role in a sex trafficking conspiracy, which included two teens, was sentenced to 18 years in prison on Tuesday.
Cory Lavell Smith, 28, pleaded guilty in March to one count of conspiracy to engage in sex trafficking and one count of sex trafficking.
Smith admitted to participating in the conspiracy from Aug. 2018 to Jan. 2019 that involved four victims.
Under the conspiracy, a 14 and 16 year-old were prostituted.
According to court documents, Homeland Security Investigations agents received a tip about a 14-year-old girl who was missing in Jan. 2019.
She was taken to a hospital after being involved in a crash in Blue Springs and she reported being forced to have sex for money.
Agents retrieved the girls' personal belongings, which included a cellphone. The cellphone led agents to a home in Jackson, Mississippi, where they located the 16 year-old victim.
The second victim led agents to an apartment in Kansas City, Missouri.
The agents identified themselves and and Smith led them on a chase, but was later arrested.
Both victims said they tried to leave, but Smith told them they couldn't leave the business without dying.
As part of the sentencing, Smith was also sentenced to 20 years of supervised release after the 18 years of prison
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