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A Four Oaks man was sentenced June 21 to 420 months in prison and a life term of supervised release for sex trafficking of a minor and using the internet to operate a prostitution enterprise, according to a press release from the Department of Justice, Eastern District of North Carolina. Marvarlus Cortel Snead, 34, was convicted of the charges after a four-day jury trial n December 17, 2020. He was also ordered to pay more than $200,000 in restitution to the minor victim.

According to court documents and other information presented in court, Snead prostituted an adult female and a minor victim in various locations throughout the eastern district of North Carolina in December 2017 and January 2018.

“Snead targeted extremely vulnerable victims and enticed them with promises of money and romance,” stated the release. “Snead also engaged in a sexual relationship with both women and, after convincing them to join him, manipulated them and took their money for himself.”

Snead was arrested following a January 24, 2018 prostitution sting operation at a hotel in Wilmington, where he was prostituting the minor after posting ads online, according to the release.

“Following his arrest, Snead sought to continue his manipulation of the minor victim by coercing the victim into signing false affidavits aimed at exonerating Snead but which were actually written by others at Snead’s direction,” the release continued.

G. Norman Acker III, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge James C. Dever III.

Acker commented: “This case is about the victims, who suffered at the hands of a greedy trafficker. Our community will not tolerate perpetrators like this defendant targeting our most vulnerable children and citizens for their profit.”

The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the New Hanover County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Bryan Stephany and Erin C. Blondel prosecuted.

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