A 33-year-old man from Wilmington, California, has pleaded guilty to sex trafficking a woman through coercion and violence before sexually assaulting her and leaving her in a remote forest area, prosecutors said Friday.
Leslie Anthony Bailey entered the guilty plea to one count of sex trafficking by force and coercion, according to the Orange County District Attorney’s Office.
The disturbing series of events began in early February 2022, after Bailey made contact with a woman on social media. At the time, the woman was undergoing treatment for fentanyl addiction at a Los Angeles facility and was experiencing withdrawal symptoms. Court documents indicate that Bailey offered to supply her with the drug and arranged to pick her up.
On February 5, Bailey collected the woman from the facility and took her to purchase fentanyl pills. He then brought her to a residence in Long Beach where he was staying.
The following day, Bailey transported the woman to an area of Anaheim known for commercial sex activity. Authorities said he directed her to engage in sex acts for money, with the expectation that she would hand over the earnings to him in exchange for more fentanyl.
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After she completed several sex acts, Bailey gave her additional pills and returned with her to his home.
The situation worsened on February 7 when the woman attempted to leave. Bailey allegedly threatened her with violence if she tried to escape again. Despite promising to return her to the treatment facility, he instead took her back to Anaheim for further prostitution.
On February 8, Bailey told the woman he would take her to the rehab center. Instead, he drove her deep into the Angeles National Forest, where he assaulted and raped her before abandoning her. Bailey then fled the scene, leaving her stranded.
Authorities eventually identified and arrested Bailey. He has remained in custody since March 2024.
During the investigation, officials discovered Bailey had also attempted to recruit another woman for prostitution through social media in March 2023. He admitted to using intimidation and violence to control this second victim, forcing her to work in areas across Los Angeles, Orange, and San Diego counties.
On April 25, Bailey formally pleaded guilty to the sex trafficking charge involving the first victim. He is scheduled for sentencing on July 18 and could face a sentence of 15 years to life in federal prison.
The case was the result of a joint investigation by Homeland Security Investigations, the Orange County Human Trafficking Task Force, and the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department.
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