Stockton woman sentenced for sex trafficking minors, including runaway from Modesto
A Stockton woman was sentenced on Monday to 17 years and seven months in prison for sex trafficking three minors, including a 15-year-old runaway from Modesto, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
A jury last year found Dawniel Santangelo, 44, guilty of conspiracy to engage in sex trafficking of a child, three counts of sex trafficking a child and transporting a minor with intent to engage in criminal sexual activity.
Her co-defendant, Lucious James Roy, 34, of Stockton pleaded guilty last year to conspiracy to engage in sex trafficking of a child and also received at 17 year sentence.
According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Santangelo recruited 15-, 16- and 17-year-old girls to engage in prostitution throughout Northern California and southern Oregon from September 2018 trough May 2019.
“She enticed the girls to perform sex acts for strangers by providing alcohol, drugs, and creating a party atmosphere in motels in Stockton and Salinas,” according to a press release.
Santangelo also posted online prostitution ads depicting the victims and brought the victims to truck stops and motels to have sex with men for money, which she and Roy took from the victims. After the victims began engaging in commercial sex acts, Santangelo urged them to continue, reassuring them when they felt insecure.
Santangelo and Roy were arrested in May 2019 after they recruited a 15-year-old runaway from Modesto and drove her to Medford, Oregon, Santangelo’s former hometown.
After several days in Oregon, the victim called her family for help. Police in Oregon found the victim and both suspects in a hotel room.
“Santangelo’s conduct in this case was egregious. She played an essential part in the conspiracy recruiting the girls with false promises of freedom and fun. Once she reeled them in, she quickly put them to work, exploiting three children over hundreds of miles for over nine months,” U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert said in a press release. “Today’s sentence reflects the seriousness of the crime and should deter others from engaging in such conduct.”
This story was originally published August 30, 2022 at 8:27 AM.
