Katy resident pleads guilty in sex trafficking case, convicted of trafficking adult women by force

A 28-year old Katy resident has admitted he conspired to compel three adult women to engage in sex trafficking by means of force and violence in Houston and other locations across the country, announced U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Patrick.

Marquis Holmes aka "Goldie" pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to engage in sex trafficking by means of force, fraud and coercion; two counts of transportation to engage in prostitution; and two counts of enticing and coercing another to travel in interstate commerce for prostitution.

From June 2015 until his arrest in March 2018, Holmes scoured social media websites to recruit women, often under false pretenses, to work as prostitutes for him. Using threats and violence, Holmes prostituted two of these women in Houston and Austin, and many other locations across the country. Holmes coerced the women to pose for pictures used in online advertisements for sex and to engage in commercial sex acts for money. Holmes collected all the money the women earned.

On March 30, 2018, authorities arrested Holmes, at which time a third victim was rescued along with her infant child. After repeatedly physically assaulting the woman, Holmes forced her to solicit commercial sex dates along the 1.3 mile stretch of Bissonnet St., commonly referred to as "The Track." If she did not meet the monetary quota Holmes had set, he beat her and deprived her of food.

Holmes has been and will remain in custody pending his sentencing, set for Sept. 19, 2019. At that time, he faces up to life in prison.

The Human Trafficking Rescue Alliance (HTRA) conducted the investigation.