Man sentenced to years in prison after trafficking teen in and around Stockton
A Stockton man has been sentenced to more than 11 years in prison for the sex trafficking of a child, federal authorities announced.
Angel Jesus Sanchez-Manriquez, 22, of Stockton, was sentenced earlier this month to 11 years and three months after pleading guilty in August week to trafficking a 16-year-old victim through dozens of online prostitution ads, then recording videos of the teen in motel rooms in and around the Stockton area, federal authorities said.
According to court documents, between October and December 2020, Sanchez-Manriquez posted some 70 ads on a website, each with photos of the teen victim, referring to the victim as his “Snow Bunny.”
Related: Man facing life in prison after pleading guilty to trafficking teen
“The pop-culture imagery of sex work is a far cry from the realities of human trafficking cases like these. Every day, adults and minors are marketed and sold to paying customers by exploiters who control and profit from every aspect of the illegal transactions,” said Special Agent in Charge Sean Ragan of the FBI Sacramento Field Office.
“Our agents are deeply committed to working tirelessly with our local, state, and federal partners to recover victims of human trafficking and ensure those who exploit them face justice. They work closely with victim services specialists to ensure victims are afforded an opportunity to break free from the cycle of exploitation and abuse that is all too common in these cases. No person should ever be trafficked. Please call the National Human Trafficking Hotline at (888) 373-7888 if you or someone you know needs help.”
Sanchez-Manriquez was sentenced Dec. 2 by U.S. District Judge Troy L. Nunley.
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If you or someone you know or suspect is a victim of human trafficking, the local Women’s Center-Youth & Family Services offers help. Call the San Joaquin County agency’s 24-hour Human Trafficking Helpline at (209) 948-1911 or the National Human Trafficking Hotline at (888) 373-7888. The agency also offers tips and resources for health care workers; visit www.womenscenteryfs.org for more information.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation investigated the case against Sanchez-Manriquez, brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative aimed at combatting the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse.
For more information, visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the “resources” tab for information about internet-safety education.
More local resources against trafficking:
San Joaquin County Family Justice Center: (209) 468-2600
San Joaquin County District Attorney’s Office Victim Witness: (209) 468-2500
Haven of Peace Women’s Shelter (French Camp): (209) 982-0396
Record reporter Elizabeth Roberts covers community and breaking news. She can be reached at eroberts@recordnet.com or on Twitter @eroberts209. Support local news, subscribe to The Stockton Record at https://www.recordnet.com/subscribenow.
This article originally appeared on The Record: Sex trafficking: Stockton man sentenced in horrific prostitution case
