A Honolulu man has been sentenced to life in prison after a federal jury convicted him in April of sex trafficking, racketeering, and related offenses.
The Justice Department said Isaiah McCoy, 37, was found guilty of trafficking three adults and one minor, obstructing a trafficking investigation, and traveling across state and national lines to support his criminal enterprise.
McCoy is also ordered to pay just over $1 million in restitution.
Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon said the sentence reflects the seriousness of a case involving victims who were targeted because of personal problems and vulnerabilities.
Dhillon said McCoy used force, threats, manipulation, and psychological pressure to control victims and profit from commercial sex.
Lucy Cabral-DeArmas, Homeland Security Investigations special agent in charge, said the case shows the agency's commitment to confronting sex trafficking in Hawaii.
Prosecutors said the evidence showed that McCoy compelled women and girls to perform hundreds of sex acts for money between 2019 and 2021.
They said he approached women and girls who were dealing with difficult backgrounds or financial trouble and portrayed himself as someone who could offer stability, comfort, or a better life.
Once victims were dependent on him, prosecutors said, he became controlling and violent when they did not bring in enough money.
They described a pattern of physical abuse, intimidation, and strict oversight intended to keep victims isolated and afraid to leave.
Authorities said McCoy required victims to work at all hours, regardless of illness or exhaustion, then surrender all earnings to him.
They said he spent the money on designer goods while victims were left with nothing more than small "rewards" used to reinforce control.
Investigators said McCoy's conduct created a climate of fear that kept victims trapped until federal agents intervened.
Jim Mishler ✉
Jim Mishler, a seasoned reporter, anchor and news director, has decades of experience covering crime, politics and environmental issues.
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