Compton, California – A woman and her son are being charged with forcing two 13-year-olds into prostitution in Compton, California.
Daisy Pollard-Gilliam, 41, also known as “Queen,” and Reuben Gilliam, 24, known as “Tre,” face multiple charges of sexual nature and other offenses.
Both are charged with one count of conspiracy to commit human trafficking and two counts of child trafficking, the U.S. Department of Justice said in a press release. In addition, Gilliam faces charges of production and distribution of child pornography, while Pollard-Gilliam is charged with possession of a firearm and ammunition as a convicted felon.
According to authorities, the alleged crime spree began around 2 a.m. on June 3, 2023, when Gilliam and two other men saw two 13-year-old girls walking down a Bell Gardens street. One of the three men jumped out of the vehicle, ordered the girls to get in, and they all drove to a house in Lynwood.
Over the next week, the girls were “forced to engage in sexual activity” with the mother and son, as well as with “unidentified commercial clients,” according to prosecutors.
“The customers told one of the victims that they paid $100 to have sex with her, and the defendants collected the money after the customer had sex with the victims, according to court documents,” the release said. “The defendants also allegedly instructed the victims to dress in lingerie and pose for photos that would be used to promote commercial sex.”
Images and videos of the minors were sent by Pollard-Gilliam to an inmate at Kern Valley State Prison, according to prosecutors. After the alleged traffickers saw the missing children posters, they moved the girls to another location in the county.
The minors were finally located on June 9, 2023, six days after their abduction, in a motor home in Gardena, according to the DOJ.
“Among the items authorities seized during the ransom were clothing, shoes, eyeglasses, and a cell phone that the alleged defendants gave the victims so they could call them if they were in trouble,” the release said. “The victims allegedly used the cell phone to text and call Daisy Pollard-Gilliam on several occasions.”
Gilliam is already in state custody on unrelated charges and will be transferred to federal custody in the coming weeks.
Pollard-Gilliam was arrested on April 24, when she allegedly possessed a handgun and 25 rounds of ammunition, despite being convicted of a felony charge of child endangerment in 2021.
She is expected to be arraigned on May 14, 2024, in U.S. District Court in downtown Los Angeles.
