Man sentenced for interstate prostitution in Ohio, Kentucky, California

COVINGTON, Ky. (WTVQ) — An Ohio man was sentenced to three years in prison for engaging in interstate prostitution after he transported a victim to other states including Kentucky and California.

According to Leon Sims’ plea agreement, on Dec. 14, 2020, police responded to an advertisement for prostitution services on a sex ad website. Police saw Sims take a victim to a hotel room and wait for her in the car. Further investigations found that, from at least October 2020 through January 2021, Sims arranged for the victim to engage in prostitution using online advertisements and kept the profits.

Sims also took the victim from Kentucky to both Ohio and California for prostitution.

At his sentencing, it was found that Sims used fraud and coercion to get the victim to participate in prostitution including verbal threats, withholding necessities and false promises.

The investigation was conducted by the FBI, Kentucky Attorney General’s Department of Criminal Investigation and the Boone County Sheriff’s Office.