Gang Member Accused of Recruiting High Schoolers as Prostitutes
ALEXANDRIA, Va. — Justin Strom, aka “Jae,” “Jae Dee,” or “J-Dirt,” 26, has been indicted by a federal grand jury on accusations of recruiting at least seven high school girls to engage in commercial sex for his prostitution business.
Strom was charged with conspiracy, seven counts of sex trafficking of a child, and two counts of transporting a minor across state lines for purposes of engaging in commercial sex acts. If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of life in prison on the conspiracy charge and a mandatory minimum of 10 years in prison and maximum penalty of life in prison on the other charges.
According to the indictment and other court records, Strom is a member of the Underground Gangster Crips (UGC) set based in Fairfax County, Va. Strom and other UGC associates are accused of recruiting teen girls to work for them as prostitutes. They would allegedly contact teens at school or through online social networking sites and entice the girls to use their good looks to earn money through prostitution.
In addition, members of the conspiracy would approach girls at bus or rail stops and attempt to recruit them into joining their prostitution business. Once a girl expressed interest, Strom is alleged to have relied on women within his organization to transition the victim into earning money for the conspirators by having sex with multiple clients.
According to the indictment, from 2007 through March 2012, Strom allegedly recruited and trafficked seven victims aged 16 or 17, including transporting two of the victims from northern Virginia to service clients either in Washington, D.C. or in Maryland. Many of the victims were allegedly provided with illegal drugs and alcohol and were required to submit to sex with members of the conspiracy as a “try out” or an “initiation” before they worked as prostitutes.
Court records state that Strom and members of the conspiracy allegedly advertised their victims through online sites including craigslist.org and backpage.com. Conspirators also allegedly provided “in-call” service to clients, allowing clients to use the basement of a townhome in Lorton, Va., to have sex with victims. In addition, many victims were prostituted by walking door-to-door soliciting clients in apartment buildings or townhouse complexes, with Strom and others waiting within a car nearby. They were instructed to find apartments with multiple males inside to minimize walking in the open and to maximize profit.
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