A Seattle man is facing serious charges related to sex trafficking and transporting women for prostitution, according to a recent indictment. 37-year-old Shante Broady entered a 'not guilty' plea at his arraignment this morning, as announced by Acting U.S. Attorney Teal Luthy Miller. The indictment comes after multiple reports surfaced over the past two years about Broady's alleged involvement in coercive sex trafficking activities, as reported by the U.S. Attorney's Office.
Law enforcement has been keeping tabs on Broady since March 2023, after receiving reports that he was sex trafficking a victim in Portland, Oregon. While still being under investigation, Assistant United States Attorney Kate Crisham, who leads Anti-Trafficking prosecutions in the Western District of Washington, is charging Broady with heinous crimes—crimes that carry severe penalties. Crisham's additional notes showed that in November 2024, Broady was also accused of assaulting a former girlfriend.
Further details emerged in April 2025 when two women approached the FBI, expressing concern over Broady's threatening behavior towards them. According to the records filed in the case, one woman was able to evade being forced into prostitution by Broady, while another claimed she was lured from Canada under the guise of a paid plane ticket, only to be forced into prostitution through threats and violence. These claims are backed by text messages allegedly showing Broady's threats, leading the victims to obtain a civil restraining order.
Additionally, the criminal complaint outlined Broady's suspected role in transporting and harboring a runaway juvenile. Encountered on North Aurora Avenue, the juvenile was intercepted and safely returned to her family by law enforcement. As per the indictment, Broady's case involving the trafficking of the minor remains under active investigation.
The gravity of sex trafficking through force, fraud, and coercion is reflected in the mandatory minimum penalty of 15 years, with the potential of being sentenced to life in prison. Transporting an adult to engage in prostitution could result in up to ten years imprisonment. As stated in the indictment, these are merely allegations at present, and Broady is presumed innocent until proven otherwise. His trial is set for July 14, 2025, before U.S. District Judge John C. Coughenour, and he remains in custody at the Federal Detention Center awaiting these proceedings. The effort to bring Broady to justice is a collaborative effort led by the FBI, with Assistant United States Attorney Kate Crisham at the helm of prosecution.
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