Sacramento Man Faces 26 Years In Prison After Conviction On Human Trafficking Charges

SACRAMENTO (CBS13) — A man has been convicted by a Sacramento jury on several human trafficking charges, the district attorney's office says.

On Friday, the DA's office announced that David Towner had been convicted of human trafficking, human trafficking of a minor, two counts of pimping, two counts of pandering, and two counts of witness intimidation.

The charges stem from a January 2020 arrest by the Sacramento Police Department.

Officers say they were able to get in contact with a 16-year-old girl who was believed to be the victim of sex trafficking. Detectives were able to look through the girl's phone and soon found messages from Towner allegedly trying to recruit her as a prostitute.

Investigators later uncovered more evidence that Towner had been recruiting several women to work as a prostitute for him.

Other victims also alleged that Towner sexually exploited them, the DA's office says.

Detectives believe Towner used several tactics to try and get women to work as a prostitute for him, including one victim who told prosecutors that he had picked her up from Reno under the pretense of giving her a ride. He then allegedly started trafficking her when they got to Sacramento.

Towner is now facing up to 26 years in prison. He is set to be sentenced on Oct. 15.