FBI Sentences Sex Traffickers in Chicago and Indiana
The FBI announced the sentencing of 45-year-old Nathan Nicholson and his two 24-year-old twin sons, Myrelle and Tyrelle Lockett, who ran a sex trafficking operation affecting numerous underage girls and women, at least one of whom was also kidnapped by the men.
Nicholson will serve 16 years and eight months in prison, while his sons will serve 17 years and 8 months.
The twins were noticed by the FBI and local law enforcement when they were placed in juvenile detention in 2010 for similar charges. Upon release, the Locketts scouted Chicago-area malls for potential victims, posing as “talent scouts,” at which point they involved their father with the end-goal of forcing the victims into prostitution.
The Locketts also targeted girls en masse on Facebook, eventually working independently of their father, thus earning their longer sentence. All three men have also been ordered to pay restitution.
According to Special Agent Michael A. Barker, who worked alongside Special Agent Carrie J. Landau in investigating the case, “I’ve seen cases of families being involved in prostitution and other crimes, but I’ve never seen anything quite like this, with twins being used to recruit victims.”
The official FBI account of the case notes that, “As the FBI and Cook County deputies were building a case against the three, the Locketts kidnapped an 18-year-old woman in Minnesota and took her to Chicago in 2013. She managed to escape and contact the police. The abduction created new pressure on investigators,” who ultimately recovered two minors still working for Tyrelle Lockett. The girls (as well as other adult victims) were assisted by victim specialists within the FBI’s Chicago office.
Special Agent Barker said the case should serve as a wake-up call, particularly for parents, saying, “Many of these girls had parents who loved them. The problem is, some of them worked odd and long hours, and they were just tired and overwhelmed. As parents, you have to be involved with everything your kids do, with all their electronic devices and their personal lives.”