Long Beach Man Charged with Sex Trafficking of Teen

A Long Beach man who allegedly forced a 17-year-old girl to work as a prostitute is named in a federal criminal complaint that charges him with child sex trafficking, prosecutors announced Monday.

Ralph Allen "Mac Wimp" Jackson Jr., 40, was arrested by Long Beach Police Department vice detectives on state charges after they responded to a domestic disturbance call at his residence. He was named in a criminal complaint filed Friday in Los Angeles federal court, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office.

Following Jackson's arrest, vice detectives determined that the incident allegedly involved child sex trafficking and contacted special agents from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's Homeland Security Investigations.

"Forcing anyone, much less a child, to prostitute themselves from morning until night with no rest, little food and threats of physical harm is not only criminal -- it is morally reprehensible," said Claude Arnold, special agent in charge for HSI Los Angeles.

"That what amounts to modern slavery occurs here in the 21st century is unconscionable," he said. "HSI is committed to ensuring that those involved are held accountable for their crimes."

Jackson is expected be turned over to federal authorities on Tuesday and make his initial appearance in federal court the same afternoon.

The criminal complaint charges Jackson with sex trafficking of children by force. If convicted, he faces a potential sentence of 15 years to life in federal prison.

"The sex trafficking of women and juveniles is a horrible offense that warrants an immediate and assertive response," U.S. Attorney Andre Birotte Jr. said. "The charges demonstrate that we are prepared to quickly respond to such cruel conduct."

According to the affidavit in support of the criminal complaint, the teenager told investigators that she met Jackson in March and, following a series of phone calls and text messages, met him for dinner earlier this month. The girl told Jackson that she was 17, which prompted Jackson to tell her this would be their "secret," the document alleges.

The girl alleged that Jackson subsequently forced her into prostitution, arranging for her to have sex with dozens of male clients and warning her that she would be beaten if she resisted.

The affidavit states the teen was required to work the streets about 12 hours a day and was allowed only one daily meal.

"The actions of those who prey on the vulnerability of young women in our community and exploit them through threats and intimidation will not be tolerated," Long Beach police Chief Jim McDonnell said. "We will continue to join forces with our federal partners to ensure these individuals are being prosecuted to the fullest extent possible."   According to the affidavit, Jackson took the teen to a tattoo shop in mid- June and ordered her to get a tattoo that included his street name: "Mac Wimp's bitch." The girl told investigators that Jackson threatened to harm her if she did not comply.

After she fled Jackson's residence about eight days ago, he allegedly sent her text messages threatening to harm her family if she did not return.

When the girl went to Jackson's home last Tuesday to retrieve her things, there was an altercation, which prompted the domestic disturbance call to the Long Beach Police Department, leading to his arrest, investigators said.

-City News Service