HOUSTON — A Houston man who lured a 16-year-old victim for sex trafficking has pleaded guilty to coercion and enticement of a minor following an investigation by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Houston and the Human Trafficking Rescue Alliance (HTRA).
Michael Ramone Hooks, 25, was convicted Sept. 27 in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas after he admitted to recruiting a 16-year-old victim to engage in prostitution via Instagram, text messages and video calls.
“Sex traffickers like Mr. Hooks often target minors and other vulnerable populations because they are easier to manipulate and control,” said HSI Houston acting Special Agent in Charge Robert Kurtz. “Once they identify their victims, they seek to isolate them and use physical and sexual abuse, economic and psychological manipulation, and cruelty to force them to engage in commercial sex. Working in conjunction with our partners from the Human Trafficking Rescue Alliance, HSI Houston works tirelessly to remove these predators from the community and connect their victims with the trauma-informed services that they need to restore their lives.”
The investigation revealed that Hooks was aware the victim was underage and lured her away from Antonio Dario Osario-Avelar, a known sex trafficker who was trafficking the victim for commercial sex at the time. Law enforcement discovered text messages revealing that Hooks discussed the victims age with her.
In August 2023, authorities arrested Hooks and recovered the minor victim after they discovered that the victim had agreed to pay Hooks a “choosing fee,” a fee that trafficking victims pay to a human trafficker to be their “pimp”.
Hooks is scheduled to be sentenced Dec. 20. At that time, he faces up to life imprisonment and a possible $250,000 fine maximum fine. He will remain in custody pending sentencing.
Osario-Avelar has previously been sentenced to 375 months in federal prison for his conduct in a separate case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Sherri Zack is prosecuting the case.
HTRA law enforcement includes members of the Houston Police Department, the FBI, the Texas Attorney General’s Office, IRS Criminal Investigation, the Department of Labor – Wage and Hour Division, the Department of State, the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission, the Texas Department of Public Safety, the Department of Homeland Security – Office of Inspector General (OIG), the Social Security Administration – OIG, Sheriff’s Offices in Harris and Montgomery counties, and District Attorney’s offices in Harris, Montgomery and Fort Bend Counties.
For more news and information on HSI’s efforts to aggressively investigate human trafficking in Southeast Texas follow us on X, formerly known as Twitter, at @HSIHouston.