Las Vegas Man Sentenced to 13 Years for Coercion, Enticement of Minors

A Las Vegas man has been handed a 13-year prison sentence followed by 15 years of supervised release for crimes involving the coercion and enticement of minors. Denzel Renyal Michael Loyd, identified as a self-proclaimed pimp, utilized social media, particularly Facebook, to reach out to his victims. According to a statement from the Department of Justice, Loyd was convicted on four counts after he solicited minors for sexual acts, requested sexually explicit photos and videos, and even attempted to persuade them into prostitution.

During the trial, evidence presented showed that Loyd's actions extended over a several-month period, during which at least one minor engaged in sexual acts with him in exchange for food. This case, prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Jean Ripley and Supriya Prasad, was not just another statistic. It was part of Project Safe Childhood, an initiative targeting the surge of child sexual exploitation and abuse. "Today’s sentence reflects the seriousness of the offense," United States Attorney Sigal Chattah for the District of Nevada said. She emphasized the combined efforts of the FBI and her office to protect children from such predators, as reported by the U.S. Attorney's Office, District of Nevada.

Reinforcing the gravity of Loyd's crimes, Spencer L. Evans, FBI Special Agent in Charge, indicated that Loyd merits every day of his incarceration. "This sentence delivers a message to anyone intent on harming children," Evans stated. He underlined the commitment of law enforcement agencies to shield children from individuals like Loyd, suggesting that each predator put behind bars is a potential crisis averted, as per the U.S. Attorney's Office, District of Nevada..

On top of his imprisonment, Loyd's punishment includes mandatory registration as a sex offender under the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act. The FBI and Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department combined forces in the investigation leading to Loyd's conviction. The case also received support from the Department of Justice Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS). In light of these events, authorities continue to encourage anyone with knowledge of child exploitation to report to the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI or through their online tip portal at tips.fbi.gov.