A Florida man from Lake Placid, known as “Shalamar,” has been ordered to pay over $300,000 in restitution to his victims following a sex trafficking case. Shannima Yuantrell Session, 47, faced a life sentence in federal prison after being found guilty on multiple counts of sex trafficking, including the trafficking of minors, as per the announcement made by the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of Florida on their website. The restitution, amounting to $327,735, was ordered by U.S. District Judge Aileen M. Cannon on Oct. 6.
Session's conviction comes after evidence presented during a nine-day trial in September 2024 detailed his exploitation of nearly a dozen women and girls, compelling them to engage in thousands of commercial sex acts over several years. Using methods like false promises of legitimate employment and housing, Session manipulated his victims—often under dire circumstances of unstable housing and substance abuse—to quickly gain their trust. His exploitative practices allowed him to maintain a firm grip over his victims, using not only shelter and drugs but also terrorizing them with firearms and violence, as reported by the Justice Department.
"Human trafficking is one of the most vicious crimes imaginable—it strips victims of their freedom, dignity, and humanity," said U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones. “This restitution order ensures that the survivors of Session’s cruelty receive some measure of justice for the years of exploitation and abuse they endured. Our Office will continue to pursue traffickers relentlessly and stand with the victims they sought to silence.” The FBI Miami, in conjunction with the Fort Pierce Resident Agency and Highlands County Sheriff’s Office, investigated the case, leading to Session's conviction and subsequent restitution order, as noted by the same press release.
The trial exposed chilling acts by Session, who forced his victims to perform sex acts in unsanitary trailers and local orange groves. The government demonstrated that approximately $327,735 was made from these coerced acts, and the ordered restitution aims to directly compensate the victims for their suffering. Additionally, those with information on human trafficking are encouraged to reach out to the National Human Trafficking Hotline, and resources on combating trafficking are available through various outlets including the Justice Department's website.
Authorities, as well as advocacy groups, stress the importance of vigilance and community involvement in rooting out and addressing the scourge of trafficking. For further details on the court proceedings, individuals may visit the Southern District of Florida's court website or consult the PACER system for case number 22-cr-14074.
