Sanford man charged human trafficking in Lee, Cumberland counties

Nancy McCleary, The Sanford Herald, N.C.
·1 min read

Apr. 27—A Sanford man has been charged with human trafficking in Lee and Cumberland counties.

Joseph Jay Vieu, 50, of the 1300 block of Post Office Road, is charged in each county with two counts of human trafficking of a child victim and solicitation of prostitution of a minor.

The investigation began after the Cumberland County Sheriff's Office Human Trafficking Unit met earlier this month with Gate Beautiful Inc. about "a man who was attempting to buy a child for sexual gratification," according to a CCSO Facebook post.

The man was identified as Vieu.

On Thursday, Vieu was arrested by the Lee County Sheriff's Office after a search warrant was executed at his residence, a news release said. Vieu is accused of attempting to purchase a 9-year-old child, Sheriff Brian Estes said.

He was booked into the Lee County Jail and was being held without bail.

Friday, Vieu was taken to the Cumberland County Detention Center in Fayetteville where he was charged. Bail was set at $3 million, a CCSO spokesman said.

Gate Beautiful Inc. is a nonprofit that provides resources and support for human trafficking victims.