Five members of a street gang in Fairfax County, Va., are charged with forcing high school students to work in their prostitution ring, an FBI affidavit obtained by My FOX DC reveals.
The accused are part of an offshoot of the Crips street gang known as the Underground Gangster Crips. They would peruse school yards, social media sites and public transportation stops for 16, 17 and 18-year-old girls, detectives confirmed to My FOX DC. The teens would then be forced to go door to door offering sex to strangers.
"Sometimes 10 times a night, dozens of times over the course of a week, for many weeks at a time," U.S. Attorney Neil MacBride of the Eastern Virginia District said.
The investigation revealed that at least 10 high school girls were recruited to participate -- sometimes by being threatened, drugged or beaten, the Associated Press reports. Court documentes also state the girls were made to have sex with the gangs alleged leader, Justin Strom -- who was reportedly known as "Jae Dee" and "J-dirt" -- and other members as part of a "try out" or "initiation" period.
When one victim tried to leave, Strom allegedly held her at knife point and raped her, CBS DC reports.
“This situation is every parent’s worst nightmare,” Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli said, according to the station.
Strom now faces a maximum of life in prison for conspiring to transport a juvenile to engage in a commercial sex act.
Also arrested for their work with the prostitution ring are 21-year-old Michael Travon Jefferies, 27-year-old Donyel Dove, 23-year-old Henock Ghile and 22-year-old Christopher Sylvia, according to CBS DC.