Louisiana Pimp Busted by FBI for Forcing Women to Prostitute in Bossier City and Mesquite, Texas

SHREVEPORT, La. (KPEL News) - A Bastrop man will spend the next two decades behind bars after he pimped multiple women in Louisiana and Texas and his greed and violent tendencies caught up with him.

According to a press release from the U.S. Attorney's Office in Shreveport, 38-year-old Deray Montrez Richard met one of his victims - a 20-year-old woman - on Facebook in the Fall of 2020. In December of that year, Richard then drove with another female victim to Kentucky to pick her up after he convinced her to prostitute for him. The trio then headed to Mesquite, Texas where court documents say they rented two hotel rooms. It was there that Richard directed the two females to perform sexual acts in exchange for money with several johns.

Then Richard got greedy, though, as he kept the money. Then, he got violent when he physically assaulted and forced one of his victims to engage in prostitution.

Richard then took his two victims to Bossier City on December 12, 2020, and rented two rooms at a local hotel. While there, he directed the female he had just abused to post escort ads on the internet advertising sexual services. He later got into an argument with her and beat her.

The next day, Richard took the victims to another hotel in the city and rented two rooms. While there, Richard had both females perform sexual acts on several johns. Later that day, Richard began to physically assault both of his victims at the hotel.

This is what would lead to Richard getting caught.

The victim Richard began beating in Texas was able to get away from the room and report the incident to the hotel clerk, then ran to a nearby convenience store for help. Bossier City Police officers arrived and arrested Richard.

Investigators with the FBI then got involved and Richard was indicted by a federal grand jury on human trafficking charges. He pleaded guilty to a charge of sex trafficking by force, fraud or coercion in February 2023.

“This is another case of a defendant taking advantage of vulnerable individuals in our
society for selfish reasons,” said U.S. Attorney Brandon B. Brown. “We know that there are many other instances of human trafficking and forced labor across our district and we are committed to funneling resources toward combating such heinous activity.”

Brown says Richard has been sentenced by United States District Judge S. Maurice Hicks, Jr. to 228 months (19 years) in prison and was also ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $9,000.

The case was investigated by the FBI and Bossier City Police Department and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Earl M. Campbell.