Mesa - Attorney General Mark Brnovich announced 27-year-old Louis Broadway-Phillips pleaded guilty to sex trafficking three women, including one minor.
A Superior Court Judge sentenced Broadway-Phillips to 10 years in prison, followed by lifetime probation and sex offender terms on January 7, 2021. Broadway-Phillips pleaded guilty to Illegal Control of an Enterprise, Attempt to Commit Sex Trafficking of a Minor, Sex Trafficking, Tampering with a Witness, and Influencing a Witness.
Broadway-Phillips advertised on the internet, transported the women to hotel rooms, and forced them to perform prostitution acts in exchange for money during the time period of September 2017 to April of 2018.
In April 2019, Broadway-Phillips was indicted by a State Grand Jury with Sex Trafficking and Illegal Enterprise crimes (CR 2019-001998). While on release and pending trial for those crimes, Broadway-Phillips threatened and attempted to convince all three women not to testify against him by contacting them himself, as well as using his friends and social media to harass and intimidate the women. In October 2019, Broadway-Phillips was charged in a new case (CR 2019-146684) for Influencing and Tampering with Witnesses.
“Justice demands that we hold traffickers accountable for their actions," said Attorney General Mark Brnovich. "Perpetrators use coercion and fear to re-victimize their vulnerable trafficking victims over and over. I commend Mesa Police Department and Homeland Security Investigations for their diligent work on this case. We will continue to work together to protect the most vulnerable in our communities."
Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and Mesa Police Department investigated the case.
“Homeland Security Investigations is fully committed to utilizing every resource it has at its disposal to confront and aggressively combat the threat of sex trafficking,” said Scott Brown, special agent in charge for the HSI Phoenix Office. “We are most impactful when we partner with local law enforcement to ensure every lead and detail is thoroughly investigated to hold traffickers accountable for their atrocious crimes that have forever changed victims' and survivors' lives.”
“This is just one of many cases that underscores the importance working together with our state and federal partners," said Mesa Police Chief Ken Cost. "The relentless work by all investigators brought justice to everyone victimized. We will continue our commitment to serve and protect our community in the fight against sex trafficking.”
Assistant Attorney General Shawn Steinberg prosecuted the case.
Below is a booking photograph of Broadway-Phillips:
AGO Efforts in Fighting Human Trafficking
Fighting human trafficking is a top priority for Attorney General Brnovich. Since 2015, the Attorney General’s Office (AGO) has prosecuted 261 cases connected to sex trafficking, child sex trafficking, or illegal enterprises/money laundering in the trafficking arena.
Recent AGO cases related to sex trafficking:
- Valley Man Accused of Trafficking Minors
- Ring Leader and Co-Defendant Indicted in Alleged Prostitution Ring
- Valley Man Charged with Child Sex Trafficking and Money Laundering
- Registered Sex Offender and Co-Conspirators Indicted in Alleged Prostitution Ring
- Robert Hood Sentenced to 108 Years in Prison for Child Sex Trafficking
- Glendale Couple Indicted for Child Sex Trafficking
- Operator of AZ Sex Trafficking Ring Sentenced to Prison
- San Tan Valley Man Sentenced to 6 Years in Prison for Child Sex Trafficking
If you are the victim of human trafficking or if you suspect someone may be the victim of human traffickers, call the National Human Trafficking Resource Center hotline at 1-888-373-7888 or text HELP to: BeFree (233733). The National Human Trafficking Resource Center Hotline is a national, toll-free hotline, available to answer calls from anywhere in the United States, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, in more than 200 languages.