DAVENPORT — A Burlington woman was sentenced on April 22, 2024, to thirty years in federal prison for conspiracy to engage in sex trafficking, attempted sex trafficking of a child, and sex trafficking three adult victims.
According to public court documents, Miesha Lasha Stanley, 32, in 2022, used force, fraud, and coercion to compel victims to engage in sex acts with customers in exchange for money.
Stanley took some or all of the money that the victims earned.
Stanley used the victims’ vulnerabilities, which included lack of stable housing, drug addiction, abusive relationships, and lack of familial support, to compel them to engage in paid sex acts.
Stanley allowed the victims, most of whom were females in their late teens and early 20s, to live at her residence in Burlington.
Stanley posted sex advertisements for the victims online, communicated with customers, and arranged for customers to engage in sex acts with the victims at her residence and other locations.
Stanley also conspired with co-defendant Rosella Marie Taylor to sex traffic one of the victims.
After completing her term of imprisonment, Stanley will be required to serve five years of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.
On April 1, 2024, Taylor, 36, was sentenced to 122 months of imprisonment for conspiring to sex traffic, attempting to sex traffic, and sex trafficking two victims.
Taylor used force, fraud, and coercion, and conspired with Stanley to use force, fraud, and coercion, to compel an adult victim to engage in paid sex acts.
Taylor invited the victim, who struggled with stable housing, and was unemployed, to live at Taylor’s residence in Burlington.
Taylor posted sex advertisements for the victim online and drove the victim to meet customers for paid sex work. Taylor took some or all of the money the victim earned.
Additionally, Taylor attempted to sex traffic a minor victim.
Taylor posted sex advertisements for the victim online, arranged for a customer to engage in sex acts with the victim, and drove the victim to the customer’s residence. However, the customer did not answer the door, and the victim left with Taylor.
After completing her term of imprisonment, Stanley will be required to serve five years of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.
“On behalf of the Burlington Police Department, I would like to recognize the efforts of the personnel and agencies involved in this case,” said Burlington Police Chief Adam Schaefer.
