Two people sentenced for using underage, trafficked girls in escort service

Two people who pleaded guilty in July to running an escort service with underage girls who had been trafficked are in federal prison today.

David Pierre, 34, of Fort Lauderdale, was sentenced to 10 years in prison, followed by five years probation.  Jenna Linden, 24, also of Fort Lauderdale, was sentenced to five years in prison followed by three years of probation.  Linden and Pierre pleaded guilty to charges of sex trafficking of a minor on July 15, 2009 and August 13, 2009, respectively.

Federal investigators discovered the escort service in November 2008, after a 14-year-old girl was rescued in Fort Lauderdale.  Investigators concluded Pierre operated a prostitution ring disguised as an escort service from his home.  Pierre advertised his business Online.  Linden helped Pierre transport the girls to customers throughout the South Florida area.

This investigation was part of Operation Predator, a nationwide initiative to identify, investigate and arrest people who prey on children, including human traffickers, international sex tourists, Internet pornographers, and foreign-national predators whose crimes make them deportable. Launched in July 2003, federal agents have arrested almost 12,000 individuals through Operation Predator.