Wichita Man Sentenced After Trial Conviction for Sex Trafficking and Witness Tampering

TULSA, Okla. - Today, U.S. District Judge John F. Heil, III, sentenced Byron Cordell Thomas, 37, of Wichita, Kansas, to 360 months imprisonment, followed by 12 years of supervised release.

In August of 2023, a jury found Thomas guilty of being a Felon in Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition, two counts of Witness Tampering by Corrupt Persuasion, four counts of Transporting an Individual for Prostitution, and two counts of Sex Trafficking by Force, Fraud, or Coercion.

Beginning in 2019 through December 2022, Thomas engaged in the recruitment of young, vulnerable victims to work under his direction as prostitutes. He targeted the victim's financial hardship or addiction issues and sold a dream of a safe or sober environment solely to lure them in. Thomas would transport the victims across state lines, train them to avoid the police, and how to recruit others for him. He kept complete control of the money earned with physical violence or physiological coercion.

Thomas will remain in custody pending transfer to the U.S. Bureau of Prisons.

Homeland Security Investigations - Tulsa and Kansas offices, the Tulsa Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kenneth Elmore and Shakema Onias prosecuted the case.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. For more information about PSN, please visit Justice.gov/PSN.