A federal judge has sentenced a man to 60 years in prison after he was found guilty of running a sex trafficking organization for more than two decades.
William D. Foster, 50, was also sentenced to pay a $3.4 million forfeiture judgment and more than $14 million in restitution to victims.
Justice Department officials say he used manipulation, lies, and threats to force victims to work at Florida gentleman’s clubs and engage in commercial sex acts.
The women Foster trafficked were forced to work eight-hour shifts, six days a week, all year, and he kept all of their money after telling the women he would invest it so they could retire in their 20s.
“He used psychological coercion and violence to keep victims in line. If a victim wanted to buy things like food, clothes, or personal hygiene products, she first had to get permission from Foster,” officials say. “He required many of the victims to go on liquid diets, get unsafe weight loss surgeries, and take anti-anxiety and anti-psychotic medications without proper diagnoses. Foster often had sex with victims, some of whom were minors.”
The FBI opened an investigation into Foster in 2017 after three victims came forward. They told investigators Foster began having sex with them while they were minors.
One woman told investigators he preyed on girls who were minors and young women in group homes, shelters, and exotic dance clubs because they were vulnerable. In order to facilitate his operation, he helped the minors obtain false identification, according to a 2019 court filing.
Foster used expensive cars, designer clothes, shoes, and purses to recruit females. He also paid for plastic surgery for some of the women, including breast augmentation surgery, buttock injections, rhinoplasties, and rib removals. Foster told the women he considered the surgeries “investments.”
Federal prosecutors say he grew the operation and started trafficking women across state lines to locations including New York, New Jersey, Michigan, and Nevada.
“Foster tried to grow his business by starting a website (Foster’s Care) that promised to help human trafficking victims,” the Justice Department said. “His plan, however, was not to save anyone, but to lure them into his commercial sex business.”
Two of Fosters co-conspirators pleaded guilty to related charges and are set to face sentencing on Oct. 11.
