A Memphis man with a prior sex offense on his record has been dealt a 40-year prison sentence for crimes related to sex trafficking, including the victimization of a minor, federal prosecutors announced last week. Maurice Fitzgerald Alexander, Jr., 33, will also face a lifetime of supervised release once his four-decade incarceration ends, as ordered by United States District Judge James A. Soto.
Alexander was found guilty earlier this year by a federal jury of Sex Trafficking of a Minor by Force, Fraud, or Coercion, amidst other charges. These charges included Conspiracy to Commit Sex Trafficking of a Minor and Transportation with Intent to Engage in Criminal Sexual Activity, in addition to one count of Production of Child Pornography, according to a statement from the U.S. Department of Justice.
The investigation that led to Alexander's conviction began with a 911 call that brought Tucson Police Department officers to a local hospital on October 4, 2021. They were alerted to the possible trafficking of a 14-year-old victim for sexual exploitation. The following probe uncovered that between August 19, 2021, and October 4, 2021, Alexander had trafficked the victim across multiple states.
Tucson Police and Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation, culminating in Alexander’s arrest in Tucson on October 21, 2021. Analysis of Alexander’s phone revealed he had coerced the underage victim into producing sexually explicit images and videos. These were utilized in online advertisements, found on social media and websites typically used for prostitution. The prosecution of the case was managed by Assistant United States Attorneys Nathaniel J. Walters and Monica E. Ryan of the District of Arizona, Tucson.
For more details on the case, CR-21-02972-JAS-EJM, the Department of Justice website provides further information and context regarding the investigation and subsequent trial.
