Waterloo couple pleads guilty to sex trafficking two teen girls

CEDAR RAPIDS - A Waterloo couple faces at least 10 years in prison after pleading guilty in federal court this week to sex trafficking two teens.

Lawrence E. Campbell Jr., 35, and his wife Sade Campbell, 25, each pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court Monday to one count of sex trafficking of children by force, fraud or coercion. Each admitted to knowingly recruiting, enticing or soliciting the girls, both 16 at the time, to engage in commercial sex acts in August 2016, the plea agreement shows.

Lawrence Campbell admitted he knew the girls, 'TC” and 'JC,” were under the age of 18, according to the plea.

The couple also admitted to using a computer or internet to bring the girls to Iowa from Chicago for the purpose of trafficking sex for money.   

Testimony during a detention hearing in May showed Lawrence Campbell lured the teens from Chicago, telling them he would take care of them, and then he and his wife made them have sex for money. An FBI agent testified Lawrence Campbell met the two teens on an internet dating site. He sent them one-way bus tickets to Waterloo on Aug. 25, 2016. Once the girls were in Waterloo, they were told they would have to have sex for money.

Sade Campbell placed advertisements on the girls, under the names of 'Sapphire” and 'Aqua” on a website for escort services, FBI Special Agent Scoot Irwin testified during that hearing. Sade Campbell would take them to the customers. The girls told investigators about three sexual encounters, Irwin said.

One of the customers who paid $250 for sex identified Sade Campbell as being with the girls, Irwin said. The girls told investigators they didn't get to keep the money, it went to Sade Campbell.  

Irwin, during the same hearing, said one of the girls said they told Lawrence Campbell they were under 18 and he told her not to tell his wife. The girl also said he gave her marijuana when she complained about pain from a sex act.

At some point, the girls were told they didn't make enough money having sex, so they would have to steal items from local stores that could be resold on the streets, Irwin also said.  

Police discovered the sex trafficking when the teens were arrested by Waterloo police for stealing candy at a Target store on Aug. 29, 2016, court documents show.

Officers then checked on possible warrants for the girls and found one girl was listed in a national database as a missing person out of Chicago. One of the girls also had a 1-year-old daughter, who came with them to Waterloo.

Lawrence and Sade Campbell both have prior convictions that can be considered at the time of sentencing and may result in longer prison terms.

Lawrence Campbell has seven prior convictions, four of which were committed while he was on parole or probation, according to court records. His convictions include willful injury, domestic abuse, drugs and theft.

Sade Campbell has a lengthy history of drug abuse and has convictions for drug offenses and prostitution, according to court records.

The mandatory minimum for the offense is 10 years and the maximum is life in prison. The judge also could impose a fine up to $250,000 and at least five years of supervised release following any prison time.  

A date for sentencing has not yet been set.

l Comments: (319) 398-8318; trish.mehaffey@thegazette.com