Mpls. Man Convicted Of Sex Trafficking Minors, Making Child Porn

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- A 21-year-old Minneapolis man was convicted earlier this week of sex trafficking minors and producing child pornography, among other charges.

The United States Attorney's Office says Deuvontay Shelby Charles procured three minor girls for sex via backpages.com last summer. He also produced and received pornographic photos of two 14-year-old girls.

Authorities were initially tipped off by the mother of a 17-year-old girl who said Charles recruited the teen for prostitution.

"Deuvontay Charles is a predator," said Assistant United States Attorney Laura M. Provinzino. "He targeted vulnerable girls to traffic for commercial sex and to use to produce sexually-explicit images. Over the course of trial, the jury heard from four brave girls. Their stories are difficult to hear and were even more difficult for these victims to recount."

Charles was previously convicted in 2014 for soliciting a child to engage in sexual conduct.

He sentencing date has not been scheduled.