A Portsmouth leader in the Imperial Gangster Bloods gang was sentenced for his role in trafficking a 16-year-old for commercial sex, according to the Department of Justice.
Pierre De Romeo Smith, 40, of Portsmouth, will serve 32 years in prison for sex trafficking, the production of child pornography, possession with the intent to distribute and unlawful possession of a firearm, according to the DOJ.
Court records and trial evidence proved that Smith met with the 16-year-old, who remains unidentified, on April 30, 2022, according to attorneys. He took sexually explicit photos of her, including an image of her with a muzzle of a shotgun in her mouth.
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The DOJ says that Smith posted the pictures of the victim on a commercial sex website, advertising her for commercial sex.
For the next three weeks, Smith said she was available for commercial sex and scheduled her for as many as 30 "dates" a night throughout Hampton Roads, according to the DOJ. He gave the victim amphetamines to keep her awake and took all the money from the "dates."
In May 2022, the Virginia Beach Police Department conducted an undercover commercial sex operation at a hotel in Virginia Beach, according to attorneys. During her interview, Smith texted the victim that he was in the building, and VBPD arrested him in the hotel parking garage.
Officers said that there was fentanyl, cocaine, methamphetamine, other controlled substances, and a Glock handgun in Smith's car when he was arrested. Attorneys note that Smith was prohibited from having a firearm as a convicted felon.
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The DOJ says that after Smith's arrest, he "green lit" the victim, meaning he approved her to be killed. The victim told authorities about the order, and they say they verified that she was "green lit" through two separate confidential sources.
Smith allegedly ordered the kill so no one could testify against him at trial, according to the DOJ. He was convicted by a federal jury on April 6, 2023.
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