ALVIN, Texas – Dihlon Lee Davis originally faced state charges of compelling and promoting prostitution, but Brazoria County District Attorney Jeri Yenne decided the case required federal intervention.
"This is different. This is massive sexual assault of our minors and it's a sex trade," Yenne told Channel 2 News.
She hopes to send a message to others who may be prostituting minors in Brazoria County.
"I want somebody to know that they're facing the full weight of the federal government when they're trafficking minors. That's the priority for us," said Yenne.
Had Davis been prosecuted and convicted in Brazoria County, he would have faced a sentence of two to 20 years.
Now that it is a federal case, the minimum sentence is 10 years with a maximum penalty of life in prison.
Davis is facing a felony federal prostitution charge after investigators said he was trafficking minors by force, fraud or coercion.
An 18-year-old victim showed authorities a text message conversation between Davis, 20, and an unknown person. In the conversation, Davis asked the person if they wanted to be a prostitute, according to court documents. The person said no, and Davis told them that they wouldn't get caught and he could keep the person safe, court records read.
Davis' 18-year-old girlfriend was involved in a disturbance at a school in the Alvin Independent School District on March 24, 2016, according to court records. The records indicate that the fight was a result of the girlfriend asking another person if they wanted to be a prostitute.
When authorities searched Davis' girlfriend's phone, they found photos of a 17-year-old girl in her underwear, according to court documents.
When authorities searched Backpage.com, they found an advertisement matching the photos of the girl on Davis' girlfriend's phone as well as photos of another girl who was 16 years old at the time.
Authorities showed up at the Super 8 motel in Lake Jackson on May 17 after following the location of one victim's phone, according to court records.
The hotel manager told authorities that Davis had rented rooms at the hotel and paid cash.
The 16-year-old victim told police that she went to the Super 8 approximately five times during the year. She also said she didn't participate in the prostitution, but the girls she was with were having sex and getting paid for it.
She also told authorities that Davis' girlfriend was participating in the prostitution.
The victim told police that Davis drove the girls to the motel and provided them with drugs, according to court documents.
She also told authorities that Davis would recruit freshman and sophomore girls at an Alvin Independent School District high school to participate in prostitution.
One of the victims told investigators that the prostitution scheme was like a pyramid, with Davis at the top and his girlfriend just below him. Under Davis' girlfriend, at least three girls were prostituting themselves, according to court documents.
When investigators questioned Davis, he told them that the girls approached him to prostitute, and it was their idea, according to our documents.
Davis also told authorities that he rented a room at a motel, drove the girls from their homes to the motel for the purpose of commercial sex acts and received money to pay for gas and drugs, according to court records.