On June 2, 2022, U.S. District Judge Christy Wiegand sentenced Anthony Juskowich to fifteen years in federal prison. On February 11, 2021, Anthony Juskowich was indicted by a federal grand jury in the Western District of Pennsylvania for sex trafficking an adult woman. On January 28, 2022, Juskowich pleaded guilty in federal court to sex trafficking charges. According to U.S. Attorney Cindy Chung, Juskowich’s conviction was western Pennsylvania’s first conviction for sex trafficking an adult.
The charges against Juskowich arose from allegations made between January and May of 2019 that Juskowich “knowingly engaged in sex trafficking, using force, threats of force, fraud or coercion” for force a woman to perform “commercial sex acts.” Juskowich had previously attempted to establish a sex trafficking business in Georgia and Alabama; however, those attempts failed. He later established a sex trafficking business in Moon Township, advertising $60 dates online with a “beautiful southern belle.” Juskowich rented rooms in his victim’s name over two dozen times, and claimed he made over $10,000 per month. Reports show that Juskowich used threats, force, and coercion to compel the victim to perform these commercial sex acts. The investigation involved the combined efforts of the FBI, Pittsburgh police, and Moon Township police.
Juskowich’s arrest was a part of Operation Trafficking Ends Now (Operation T.E.N.) which was created in July of 2020, 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.
As we previously reported in February and March of 2021, we commend the FBI, Pittsburgh police, and Moon Township police for investigating and charging Juskowich with sex trafficking. We further applaud the U.S. Attorney’s office for effectively pursuing sex traffickers and providing justice and support to victims and survivors. The CSE Institute also commends the survivor for her bravery as it is irrefutable that survivor voices will be the ones that promulgate change in the sex trafficking narrative.
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.