A Fort Wayne woman who helped traffic a missing 17-year-old girl has been ordered to serve serious time, closing one chapter in a case that started with a social media message and spiraled into repeated paid sex encounters across two cities.
Leticia Granados, 22, was sentenced Thursday to six years in prison followed by three years of probation after pleading guilty in the case, according to court records. Prosecutors say the teen was reported missing last year and was then moved between Fort Wayne and Indianapolis for commercial sex.
Granados admitted earlier this month to one count of child sexual trafficking and one count of child exploitation under a plea agreement, according to 21Alive. The outlet reports that the Allen County judge followed the deal struck with prosecutors when handing down the sentence yesterday.
How investigators say it unfolded
Investigators say it started when the 17-year-old contacted an Instagram user and said she wanted to leave home. According to WKRC, court records state that Granados and an alleged accomplice, 20-year-old Harley Cooley, picked up the teen, took away her phone and gave her a new one.
Those same records say the women then schooled the teen on trafficking terminology and how to collect money from customers, according to WKRC. Investigators say roughly 20 commercial sexual encounters were arranged across Fort Wayne and Indianapolis.
Search warrant and other victims
The investigation widened early the following year. Indiana State Police say that in February 2025, troopers served a search warrant at a Franklin Avenue residence in Fort Wayne and discovered another potential victim inside, according to a state release republished by WISH-TV.
Detectives also reported finding pornographic images of the 17-year-old that had been posted online, along with an amount of suspected fentanyl seized during the search, per WISH-TV.
Charges and court status
Granados and Cooley were initially charged with child sex trafficking, child exploitation and two counts of promoting sex trafficking, according to court filings cited by 21Alive. The outlet reports that Cooley is still set to go before a jury next week, and a change-of-plea hearing has been scheduled in the case.
Legal implications
Under Indiana law, promotion of human sex trafficking of a child is listed as a Level 3 felony, while child exploitation and production of child pornography is a Level 5 felony, according to a state release republished by InkFreeNews. Those felony levels carry significantly different sentencing ranges, and prosecutors said Granados’ plea allowed her to avoid the uncertainty of facing a full trial on every original count.
Authorities say the case is not closed. Investigators are still looking for additional potential victims and ask anyone with information to contact the Indiana State Police Fort Wayne Post at 260-432-8661, according to WISH-TV. Local advocates and officials say the case is a blunt reminder of how quickly predators can exploit social media to lure teens, and that community tips often make the difference between a missing-person report and a rescued victim.
