Weber County, Utah December 20, 2017 –Attorney General Sean Reyes today announced the guilty plea and sentencing of Quinlen Atkinson to human trafficking. Atkinson pled guilty to Human Trafficking, a second degree felony. Atkinson was arrested and charged by the Utah Attorney General’s Office, SECURE Strike Force, last year as part of its ongoing commitment to eradicate human trafficking in Utah. He will serve up to fifteen years in prison.
“Exploiting and abusing young people in this way is one of the most repulsive acts imaginable,” said Attorney General Reyes. “I want to thank the brave men and women of our Attorney General’s Office, especially Assistant Attorney General Dan Strong who brought the charges and to our elite investigative unit, the Utah SECURE Strikeforce, for bringing this predator to justice. I also want to invite the community’s prayers on behalf of the victims and their families for a recovery that will help them reclaim their lives and their innocence.”
Atkinson came to the attention of authorities after they received reports that he had recruited two high school students—one 17 years old and the other 18 years old—to work as part of his commercial sex operation. Witnesses reported that Atkinson substantially managed the commercial sex operation, including transporting both girls within and outside of the state for the purposes of commercial sex. Atkinson was alleged to have kept most or all money earned in this operation, despite promising the girls he recruited that he would invest the money and purchase them a house.
Atkinson was sentenced to prison by the 2nd District Court for Weber County. He will serve between one and fifteen years in prison, as determined by the Utah Board of Pardons and Parole.
The Utah Attorney General’s Office administers and coordinates the SECURE Strike Force partnership with the Utah Department of Public Safety and county, federal and city law enforcement agencies to combat violent and other major felony crimes associated with illegal immigration and human trafficking.
If you believe you have a tip about human trafficking, please call the tip line at 801-200-3443.
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EDITOR’S NOTES:
1. The mission of the Utah Attorney General SECURE Strike Force is to carefully target major fraud, organized gun, drug and human trafficking, detect creation of fraudulent government identification and other documents, and prosecute these crimes with specialized investigators and resources and a dedicated Assistant Attorney General prosecutor.
2. The SECURE Strike Force is an integral part of the Utah Trafficking in Person’s Task Force.
3. Read more about the SECURE Strike Force here.
