A Jacksonville, Texas, man has received a heavy sentence for his involvement in a child sex trafficking operation. Desnique Deshawn Herndon, aged 28, was sentenced to seven consecutive life terms on Wednesday by U.S. District Judge J. Campbell Barker, as per a report from FOX 7 Austin. Herndon's conviction by a jury in 2023 included six counts of sex trafficking of children and one count of conspiracy to commit sex trafficking.
The sentence, handed down in the Eastern District of Texas, serves as a stark declaration against the exploitation of minors. Acting U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs has been quoted as saying, "Victimizing children through commercial sex trafficking is reprehensible and will be prosecuted vigorously in East Texas," further indicating a zero-tolerance stance. According to the same Department of Justice report, through a five-day trial that led to his conviction, Herndon had remained in custody before receiving his sentence.
Investigations revealed that Herndon coerced teenage girls, some as young as 13, into sex trafficking starting in 2019. He used social media to recruit victims with false promises of wealth, then put them in Tyler-area hotels and advertised their services on sex trafficking websites. Alarmingly, testimony indicated that even while Herndon was in jail, his operation continued to persist, thanks to several co-conspirators who helped maintain the gruesome enterprise to fund his bond.
Three accomplices have already faced legal repercussions for their roles alongside Herndon. Malcolm Kadeem Roberts and Tavarus D. Watkins were sentenced in 2023 for conspiracy and for interstate transport of a minor for illegal sexual activity, respectively. Patrick Lamont Cross Jr. pleaded guilty to conspiracy and is to be sentenced on July 10, 2025. ICE Homeland Security Investigations Dallas Special Agent in Charge Travis Pickard stated, "Sex trafficking is one of the most appalling crimes in our society, exploiting the most vulnerable among us."
This case is part of a larger nationwide initiative, Project Safe Childhood, aimed at combating child sexual exploitation and abuse. An array of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies pooled their resources in this exhaustive investigation, highlighting the imperative collaboration necessary to tackle such cases. The prosecution was carried out by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ryan Locker and Alan Jackson, and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Bryan Jiral.
