On February 11, Anthony Juskowich was indicted by a federal grand jury in the Western District of Pennsylvania for allegedly sex trafficking an adult woman. Juskowich was indicted on the single count after being named the sole defendant by the United States Attorney’s Office.
The charges arose from allegations made between January and May of last year that Juskowich “knowingly engaged in sex trafficking, using for, threats of force, fraud or coercion” for force a woman to perform “commercial sex acts.” The investigation involved the FBI, Pittsburgh police, and Moon Township police. While there are no further details that have been released regarding the investigation, Juskowich faces between 15 years to life in prison and up to a $250,000 fine.
This case was a part of Operation Trafficking Ends Now (Operation T.E.N.) which was created in July of last year as a cooperative operation between federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies in the Western District of Pennsylvania to empower victims and bring traffickers to justice.
We commend the FBI, Pittsburgh police, and Moon Township police for investigating and charging Juskowich for allegedly sex trafficking a woman. We also commend the U.S. Attorney’s office for effectively pursuing sex traffickers and providing justice and support to victims and survivors. The CSE Institute continues to advocate for the Equality Model which criminalizes the demand for commercial sex fueled by sex buyers and sex traffickers. We encourage police departments and the federal government to pursue charges against sex traffickers rather than those exploited. It is critical that law enforcement target the demand for commercial sex while providing victims and survivors the resources they deserve.
The CSE Institute also commends the efforts to preserve the victim’s anonymity in this case. Victims and survivors, especially those with criminal records, face difficulty and discrimination when records are publicized. Individuals who have been charged with prostitution face housing discrimination, are often denied employment opportunities and other vital resources. For these reasons, victims and survivors should remain unnamed in proceedings and should never be arrested in order to ensure their testimony against their traffickers.
The CSE Institute will provide updates to this case once they become available.