Maryland Man Pleads Guilty to Sex Trafficking

Press Release

William Murray Used Drug Dependency to Force Victims into Commercial Sex Work

HARRISONBURG, Va. - A Maryland man, who used the drug dependency of at least three adult women to compel them to engage in commercial sex work, pled guilty today to federal charges.

William O'Neil Murray III, 36, pled guilty today to one count of sex trafficking by force, fraud, or coercion.

According to court documents, beginning in December 2021 and continuing through July 2022, Murray engaged in a multistate sex trafficking operation involving at least three adult female victims. Murray recruited and coerced his victims into sex work using their drug dependency as his primary method of control.

Murray controlled his victims' narcotics use, not allowing them to obtain drugs from anyone but himself, therefore taking complete control of each victim's drug dependency. Murray would withhold drugs from his victims if they did not follow his directions or engage in commercial sex. Many of the victims described becoming "dopesick" when Murray withheld drugs from them. Thus, Murray stood between them and the threat of withdrawal. Murray knew that withholding drugs from the victims would have a coercive effect and incentivize them to obey him.

Murray managed every aspect of the commercial sex transactions. The defendant used various commercial sex websites, such as Skipthegames.com to set up dates with commercial sex customers, set the prices, booked the hotel rooms, and transported his victims to the dates. Murray received all the proceeds from the commercial sex acts.

Murray maintained strict control over his victims' activities including requiring them to stay in communication with him while they completed their commercial sex "dates." Victims were not allowed to go anywhere without Murray's permission and were punished if they did so.

The criminal behavior occurred in Virginia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, North Carolina, West Virginia, New York, New Jersey, and Florida.

U.S. Attorney Christopher R. Kavanaugh, Stanley M. Meador, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI's Richmond Office and Colonel Gary T. Settle, Superintendent of the Virginia State Police made the announcement.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation's I-81 Human Trafficking Task Force (I-81 HTTF) and the Virginia State Police are investigating the case.

The I-81 HTTF is a collaborative effort of law enforcement and community partners focused on identifying instances of human trafficking along the I-81 corridor in the northern Shenandoah Valley of Virginia, West Virginia, and Maryland; prosecuting those responsible; and providing assistance to the victims impacted by these crimes. The I-81 HTTF includes law enforcement from the counties of Frederick, Clarke, and Shenandoah as well as the cities and towns of Front Royal, Hagerstown, and Frederick, Maryland, and Lord Fairfax Community College.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Melanie Smith, Sally Sullivan and Trial Attorney Christina Randall-James with the Human Trafficking Prosecution Unit of the Department of Justice are prosecuting the case for the United States.

Updated August 12, 2024