Quinyon Speller, 34, of Philadelphia, received a 276-month federal prison sentence for sex-trafficking offenses involving two underage girls, according to PHL17. The sentence includes 15 years of supervised release and $177,200 in restitution to the victims. U.S. Attorney David Metcalf announced the sentence.
Speller pleaded guilty in February to sex-trafficking and attempted offenses, including charges involving a minor and offenses involving force, threats, fraud or coercion, PHL17 reported. Pennsylvania’s Department of Human Services explains that federal law does not require proof of force, fraud or coercion when the sex-trafficking victim is under 18, according to the department.
Court-record accounts described two victims and overlapping periods of exploitation, according to PHL17.
From May 2016 through December 2017, Speller trafficked a runaway girl he had met when she was 15, according to court filings described by PHL17. The filings say he connected her with a woman involved in commercial sex acts under his direction. The girl came to see Speller as her boyfriend and moved in with him; he later urged her to engage in commercial sex, saying he needed money. Officials said he drove her to motels and buyers’ homes, kept her earnings, and often beat and choked her.
Prosecutors said Speller trafficked another runaway child in 2014 and at various times from 2015 through 2020. They said he gave the victim controlled substances as payment and used them to manipulate her. Authorities also reported that he was violent toward her on multiple occasions. PHL17 reported these details.
Support for young people and survivors
The City of Philadelphia says youth access points are safe spaces where young people experiencing homelessness can get resources and support, according to its emergency-housing information. For trafficking survivors, Healthy Minds Philly lists New Day as a local service, with a 24/7 hotline at 267-838-5866.
