CANTON, Ohio — Judge Pamela A. Barker sentenced Canton man Larrien Brown-Austin to 15 years in prison, a lifetime of supervised release, a $5,000 special assessment fine and $1,885 in restitution to the victims on Tuesday, May 24,
The sentencing comes after Brown-Austin pleaded guilty on Jan. 7 to being involved in a sex trafficking conspiracy that hooked victims into prostitution for financial gain.
“This defendant targeted vulnerable victims and exploited their drug dependency all in an attempt to make money and feed his own heinous and selfish wants,” said First Assistant U.S. Attorney Michelle M. Baeppler. “Human trafficking is an insidious crime, and law enforcement will use every means available to ensure that these traffickers face justice.”
Throughout June-Aug. 2018, Brown-Austin facilitated commercial sex acts at a residence owned by his father.
Over the course of the two months, the two victims were forced to live with Brown-Austin and perform sexual acts for money, which he collected.
“Identifying, investigating, and apprehending sex trafficking offenders is a critical part of our mission,” said Cleveland FBI Acting Special Agent in Charge Philip Frigm, Jr. “The sentence handed down today reflects the tireless effort of the FBI and our law enforcement partners to examine criminal enterprises operating within our communities and bring to justice those who endanger public health and safety. The FBI commends the work of our investigating and prosecuting partners to protect our neighborhoods for law-abiding citizens and remove these offenders from our communities who prey on vulnerable people.”
According to records from the court, Brown-Austin supplied the victims with drugs to create a dependency in which they needed him to provide the drugs. According to authorities, Brown-Austin also installed tracking devices on the victims’ cell phones so he could know where they were at all times.
30-year-old Shannon Marzano and 76-year-old Larry Brown-Austin, are co-defendants in this case and have both pleaded guilty and have been sentenced.
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