On May 24, 2022, Philip Walker, 36, of Pittsburgh, and Anjali Lindsey, 22, of Kensington, Maryland, were indicted by a federal grand jury on charges related to sex trafficking. According to the indictment, from around November 2019 through April 2022, Walker and Lindsey allegedly worked together to recruit, entice, harbor, transport, provide, obtain, and maintain victims, causing them to commit commercial sexual acts. This is in violation of the Trafficking Victims Protection Act. Walker is also charged with two additional counts of sex trafficking, as well as inducing and enticing one of the victims to travel from Ohio to Pennsylvania with the intent of engaging in prostitution.
Under federal law, if found guilty, Walker is eligible for a sentence 15 years or more, and a fine up to $250,000. Lindsey is eligible for a sentence of life in prison, as well as the $250,000 fine.
According to a Department of Justice press release, this prosecution is part of Operation Trafficking Ends Now (Operation T.E.N.). Operation T.E.N. is a coalition of law enforcement, community, and non-profit partners, including the CSE Institute. Formed and led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Pennsylvania, Operation T.E.N. operates in all 25 counties in the Western District of Pennsylvania.
The CSE Institute applauds the bravery of the survivors in this case. After all, it is without dispute that survivor voices will change the trafficking narrative. In addition, the CSE Institute commends the efforts of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, as well as the Pittsburgh Bureau of Police Narcotics Division, whose investigation led to the indictment of Walker and Lindsey.
In its press release, the Department of Justice also noted that they are only aware of two victims in this case. Therefore, members of the public are encouraged to offer additional information about Walker and Lindsey’s crimes of sex trafficking and exploiting others and call the FBI’s Pittsburg Field Office at (412) 432 – 4000.
Walker and Lindsey’s trial has not been scheduled yet.
The CSE Institute will continue to provide updates on this matter.
All views expressed herein are personal to the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Villanova University Charles Widger School of Law or of Villanova University.