Federal prosecutors allege a California inmate serving 97 years in prison helped direct a trafficking operation involving three children and one adult across state lines.
WILMINGTON, DE – October 17, 2026 (STL.News) Charged – Child Sex Trafficking – Three individuals from California, Maryland and Pennsylvania face federal charges in an alleged sex trafficking conspiracy involving four victims, including three minors, according to an indictment unsealed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Delaware.
The U.S. Department of Justice announced the charges Friday, October 16, identifying the defendants as Jamar Geeter, 39, of San Francisco, California; Kalvin Carter Jr., 44, of Waldorf, Maryland; and Jada Hasty, 29, of Coatesville, Pennsylvania.
Federal prosecutors allege the defendants participated in a conspiracy to exploit vulnerable individuals through commercial sex trafficking, using force, threats, fraud, and coercion.
One of the most significant allegations involves Geeter, who is already serving a 97-year California state prison sentence for unrelated sex trafficking convictions.
According to federal authorities, Geeter allegedly continued participating in criminal activities while incarcerated, using contraband cellphones to communicate and facilitate portions of the alleged trafficking operation.
The case raises concerns about the exploitation of children, interstate trafficking networks, and the ability of incarcerated offenders to communicate with individuals outside prison facilities.
All three defendants face charges that could result in life imprisonment if they are convicted.
Three Defendants Charged with Trafficking Children and an Adult
The federal indictment describes an alleged conspiracy involving three minor victims and one adult victim.
According to prosecutors, the defendants conspired to compel the victims to participate in commercial sex acts in Delaware and other locations.
Federal authorities allege the operation involved recruiting, transporting, harboring, and maintaining victims for commercial sexual exploitation.
Geeter and Hasty are specifically accused of recruiting, enticing, harboring, transporting, providing, obtaining, and maintaining two minors while knowing, or recklessly disregarding, that the children were under 18 and would be caused to engage in commercial sex acts.
The indictment also alleges that Geeter and Hasty used interstate communications, including cellphones and the internet, to induce or entice three minors to engage in prostitution.
Prosecutors further allege that the defendants used force, threats of force, fraud or coercion to compel victims to participate in commercial sexual activities.
These allegations form the basis of multiple federal criminal charges, including conspiracy to commit sex trafficking and sex trafficking by force, fraud or coercion.
The indictment also includes additional charges against Geeter and Hasty involving the production of child sexual abuse material.
Federal officials have not publicly identified the victims, consistent with the need to protect individuals who allegedly experienced sexual exploitation.
California Prison Inmate Allegedly Directed Abuse
One of the most troubling elements of the federal case involves allegations that Geeter continued participating in trafficking-related activities despite already being incarcerated for unrelated sex trafficking convictions.
According to the Justice Department, Geeter is serving a 97-year sentence in California state prison.
Federal prosecutors allege he used contraband cellphones while incarcerated to engage in some of the criminal conduct described in the new indictment.
The allegation matters because it suggests incarceration did not necessarily prevent the defendant from communicating with people outside the prison system.
Cellphones can give incarcerated individuals access to phone calls, text messaging, internet services, and other communication platforms outside authorized prison channels.
In this case, prosecutors allege that such communications helped facilitate criminal conduct involving victims in Delaware and elsewhere.
The indictment does not establish that Geeter committed the newly charged offenses. Prosecutors must prove those allegations in federal court.
His existing California convictions are separate from the newly announced federal charges.
If convicted in the Delaware case, Geeter could face substantial additional punishment beyond his existing state prison sentence.
Federal Charges Include Child Sexual Abuse Material
In addition to the sex trafficking allegations, federal prosecutors have charged Geeter and Hasty with offenses involving the production of child sexual abuse material, commonly abbreviated as CSAM.
According to the Justice Department, the defendants allegedly produced sexually abusive images involving two minor victims.
Geeter faces additional charges for producing and receiving such material.
Federal law treats the sexual exploitation of children for the production of abusive images as a serious criminal offense.
The charges are separate from, although related to, the allegations of commercial sex trafficking.
The Justice Department announced the following potential penalties:
- All three defendants: A mandatory minimum of 15 years and a maximum of life imprisonment on the sex trafficking by force, fraud, or coercion charges.
- Geeter and Hasty: A mandatory minimum of 15 years and a maximum of life imprisonment on charges involving sex trafficking of a minor and coercion and enticement of a minor.
- Geeter: A mandatory minimum of 25 years and a maximum of 50 years on the child sexual abuse material charges identified in the Justice Department announcement.
- Hasty: A mandatory minimum of 15 years and a maximum of 30 years on the child sexual abuse material charges identified in the announcement.
These are statutory penalties associated with the charged offenses, not sentences already imposed in this case.
A federal judge would determine any sentence after considering the applicable statutes, sentencing guidelines, and other relevant factors.
Federal Investigation Spanned Multiple States
The defendants’ residences in California, Maryland and Pennsylvania, combined with the alleged trafficking activity in Delaware and elsewhere, illustrate the interstate dimensions of the federal investigation.
Sex trafficking investigations frequently require law enforcement agencies to examine communications, travel, financial activity, and relationships among individuals in different jurisdictions.
In this case, the Justice Department identified the FBI’s Delaware Violent Crime and Safe Streets Task Force and the Delaware State Police as the investigating agencies.
Federal authorities have emphasized the importance of coordinating investigations when alleged criminal conduct crosses state boundaries.
U.S. Attorney Benjamin L. Wallace for the District of Delaware said federal prosecutors would pursue individuals accused of exploiting minors in Delaware regardless of where those individuals reside.
The investigation also involved FBI personnel working to identify and protect the alleged victims.
Special Agent in Charge Jimmy Paul of FBI Baltimore credited agents, analysts, and victim specialists for their work and said the investigation spanned the country.
According to Paul’s statement, investigators rescued three children and one adult woman during the investigation.
The Justice Department has not publicly provided detailed information about the victims’ current circumstances, and their privacy remains an important consideration.
Justice Department Emphasizes Protection of Victims
Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division said the alleged offenses involved the exploitation of four victims for financial gain.
Federal authorities emphasized that trafficking crimes can cause significant harm to victims, particularly children who may be vulnerable to manipulation, intimidation, and coercion.
Human trafficking does not necessarily involve transporting someone across an international border.
Under federal law, trafficking can involve the recruitment, harboring, transportation, provision, obtaining, maintaining, patronizing, or soliciting of a person for commercial sexual exploitation under circumstances prohibited by law.
For adult victims, federal sex trafficking offenses commonly involve proof of force, fraud, or coercion.
Cases involving minors are treated differently because federal law recognizes that children cannot legally consent to commercial sexual exploitation.
The federal allegations in Delaware involve both minor and adult victims, as well as accusations of coercive conduct.
The Justice Department’s announcement also underscores the role of electronic communications in trafficking investigations.
Cellphones and internet services let individuals communicate across long distances, coordinate activities, and contact potential victims without being physically present in the same location.
In the Delaware case, prosecutors allege those technologies were used to facilitate the exploitation of minors.
Prosecutors Handling the Federal Case
Trial Attorney Nicole Raspa of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Claudia Pare for the District of Delaware are handling the prosecution.
The Criminal Division works with federal law enforcement agencies and U.S. attorneys’ offices on investigations involving serious federal crimes, including human trafficking and the exploitation of children.
The participation of federal and state investigators reflects the coordination required in cases involving multiple jurisdictions.
The newly unsealed indictment formally files criminal allegations against the three defendants.
It does not constitute a finding of guilt.
Federal prosecutors must prove the charged offenses beyond a reasonable doubt before a jury can convict.
The Justice Department’s October 16 announcement did not establish a trial date or report any convictions in the newly filed Delaware case.
Understanding the Difference Between Charges and Convictions
The distinction between an indictment and a conviction matters in criminal cases involving serious allegations.
A federal indictment formally accuses a defendant of committing one or more criminal offenses.
It allows prosecutors to proceed with criminal charges, but the allegations remain subject to judicial proceedings.
Defendants can contest the charges, challenge evidence, and present a defense.
Although Geeter has previously been convicted of unrelated sex trafficking offenses in California, the new federal charges against him have not been adjudicated.
Carter and Hasty likewise remain presumed innocent of the charges in the Delaware indictment.
The severity of the allegations and potential penalties does not change the prosecution’s burden of proof.
How the Public Can Report Suspected Human Trafficking
The Justice Department encourages anyone with information about suspected human trafficking to contact the National Human Trafficking Hotline.
The hotline is available 24/7 and provides resources for individuals seeking assistance or reporting concerns about possible exploitation.
National Human Trafficking Hotline
Telephone: 1-888-373-7888
Website: https://humantraffickinghotline.org
The hotline operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
If you believe someone is in immediate danger, contact emergency services.
Federal officials also provide information about human trafficking investigations, victim protection, and enforcement initiatives through the Justice Department’s human trafficking resources.
Federal Case Highlights Continuing Trafficking Enforcement
The Delaware indictment illustrates several challenges facing investigators working to combat human trafficking in the United States.
The alleged conspiracy involved victims in multiple locations, electronic communications, and a defendant who was already incarcerated for previous trafficking offenses.
It also involved allegations concerning both commercial sexual exploitation and the production of child sexual abuse material.
The investigation demonstrates how federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies may work together when alleged trafficking activity extends beyond a single jurisdiction.
For the victims, the case represents an opportunity for federal authorities to pursue accountability through the criminal justice system while protecting their identities and safety.
For the defendants, the case begins another stage of legal proceedings in which prosecutors must establish the allegations through admissible evidence.
The Justice Department has made clear that the charges remain allegations.
All three defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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