Las Vegas Man Sentenced for Sex Trafficking in Alaska

Brandon Gadson brought three women to Alaska to work the sex trade

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By Megan Edge

Story Created: Jan 23, 2013 at 7:32 AM AKDT

Story Updated: Jan 23, 2013 at 7:32 AM AKDT

ANCHORAGE - Eighteen months behind bars is the fate of a Brandon Gadson, who was convicted of interstate travel to promote prostitution January 18.

“Any time that you exchange sex for anything of value, it doesn't necessarily mean money, it can be a place to stay, it can be food or it can be drugs – that is what sex trafficking is,” said Anchorage Police Department (APD) Sergeant Kathleen Lacey.

Gadson, a 32-year-old Las Vegas native, brought three women to Alaska in July of 2010 – the youngest being 19.

“It happens fairly frequently,” said Lacey. “What we see a lot in Anchorage is we see the women are either brought up by a trafficker, or they come up on their own with the trafficker controlling them from another state. And then they rent a hotel room for a weekend here.”

She said you would see an influx of prostitutes around big event times. According to Lacey, many pimps and prostitutes see Alaska as a wealthy state, with a lot of men.

“We have a lot of women up here from a lot of different states, that come up here just to make money. Alaskans are kind of known for having disposable income [like] the permanent fund.”

Gadson posted advertisements for the women on the Internet. APD stung the operation less than an hour after they were posted, according to the United States District Attorney’s Office. Gadson was arrested with $10,000 in his pocket.

Gadson was a long time sex trafficker, according to Judge Gleason, who added that he was proud of it, specifically citing a tattoo on his neck that reads “pimp.”

After his 18 months in federal prison Gadson will be on three years of supervised release and will only be allowed to use the internet if he gets permission from his parole officer.

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