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Man found guilty of federal sex trafficking charges

Posted at 7:00 PM, May 15, 2019
and last updated 2019-05-15 19:00:47-04

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — A man has been found guilty of multiple federal sex trafficking and drug charges in Kent and Muskegon counties.

Richardo Urbina was convicted Wednesday on three counts of sex trafficking minors, three counts of attempting to sex traffic minors, conspiring to sex traffic minors, sex trafficking an adult by force, fraud or coercion, and multiple drug charges.

He faces a minimum sentence of 15 years in federal prison and a maximum of life in prison.

Court documents say Urbina began recruiting 16- and 17-year-old girls to have sex for money, and targeted runaways who need money and a place to stay. He also gave the girls alcohol and cocaine to entice them to engage in sexual acts with men for money.

Authorities say Urbina recruited Francisco Soto to help him recruit more underage girls, and the pair used a website to advertise the girls.