WA man faces up to life in prison after pleading guilty to sex trafficking two 15-year-old girls in WA, Oregon

A Washington man faces up to life in prison after pleading guilty Tuesday to two counts of sex trafficking minors by fraud, force, and coercion.

Dajohntae Rayshawnlee Richard, 26, messaged a 15-year-old girl on Facebook in May 2025, later met up with her, and had sex with the minor victim, announced U.S. Attorney Scott E. Bradford for the District of Oregon.

Richard then drove her to a place in Washington where he had instructed her to solicit men seeking sex for money, according to court documents. The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) noted that Richard would keep all of the money that men paid for the sex acts with the minor.

Victims were beaten, choked, and transported across WA and Oregon

The victim said that on some occasions Richard would hit and choke her if she did not do what Richard instructed. The victim was also scared that Richard would injure or kill her.

In one specific instance, Richard struck the victim in the face and choked her, which caused a visible injury. The trafficking and abuse continued for roughly two months, and Richard transported her to several locations in Washington and Oregon to find customers.

In June 2025, Richard approached a second 15-year-old girl in the Seattle area and told her she worked for him. Days later, Richard began threatening the minor victim, controlling the use of her cellphone, and forcing her to engage in sex with men for money. Richard again kept the proceeds.

The victim complied with Richard’s demands since she feared for her life. Richard would drive the victim to various locations to make money for him, which continued over the span of about a month.

On June 28, 2025, Richard transported both minor victims and an adult woman to Portland, where he rented a hotel room. The defendant instructed the girls and woman to walk on 82nd Avenue to find customers who would engage in sexual acts with them.

Richard made his first appearance in federal court in Portland and was detained on August 25, 2025.

On August 12, 2025, a federal grand jury in Portland returned a four-count indictment charging Richard with two counts of sex trafficking by fraud, force, and coercion and two counts of sex trafficking of a child.

Richard faces a maximum sentence of life imprisonment with a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years imprisonment and a fine of $250,000 or twice the gross pecuniary gains or losses resulting from the offense if such amount is determined to exceed $250,000, five years of supervised release, and a $100 fee assessment.

Richard is also required to register as a sex offender. He will be sentenced on Dec. 7 before a U.S. district court judge. As part of the plea agreement, Richard has agreed to pay full restitution to the victims.

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