TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA –A Tallahassee man was sentenced to 25 years in federal prison on July 23, 2020, after his conviction on sex trafficking charges. Lawrence Keefe, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida, announced that Dishay Henderson, 36, was sentenced last week following a January jury verdict finding him guilty of Enticement of a Minor to Engage in Prostitution and two counts of Sex Trafficking of a Minor.
“Sex trafficking of minors has absolutely no place in our society,” said U.S. Attorney Keefe. “It is a shameful, despicable practice, and the United States Attorney’s Office is committed to working closely with our federal, state, and local partners to pursue justice on behalf of the victims of this heinous crime.”
Henderson used his Tallahassee residence in early 2018 as a location for commercial sex trafficking and drug activity. He specifically harbored and solicited a 16-year-old girl, prostituting her to others for personal and financial gain. At times, his methods were violent and aggressive. In announcing the sentence, Chief United States District Judge Mark E. Walker noted that the sentence was, in part, aimed to deter others from “preying on the most vulnerable among us.”
Assistant United States Attorney Michelle Spaven prosecuted the case, which was jointly investigated by the Tallahassee Police Department (TPD) and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).
“I continue to be amazed by the outstanding work of TPD’s Special Victims Unit, specifically Investigator Beth Bascom. Once again, her tireless dedication to defend some of our most vulnerable citizens has resulted in a predator being taken off the streets. We appreciate the support and cooperation of HSI and our partner agencies,” TPD Chief Lawrence Revell said.
“This predator used sex trafficking to profit from the sexual abuse of young girls,” said Micah McCombs, acting Deputy Special Agent in Charge for HSI in Tampa. “The sentencing he received highlights the gravity of this crime, and we are proud the Tallahassee Police Department and our HSI special agents stopped him from doing more harm to young children.”
