South Carolina women plead guilty to charges related to trafficking of minors

COLUMBIA, S.C. (WIS) – Two South Carolina women have been convicted after pleading guilty to charges related to the trafficking of three minors.

Monesha Tatayana Lapri Gary, 24, of Clinton, and Rebecca Melanie Perry, 30, of Columbia, pleaded guilty to human trafficking conspiracy in federal court in Columbia.

Evidence presented in court showed both women worked with co-defendants Antonio Marquis Nicholson and Terrell Counts to exploit the three minors in the commercial sex trade from at least December 2022 through August 2023.

Officials said Nicholson and Perry recruited one minor victim who was a runaway at a hotel and drove her across state lines, told her that she was going to work in commercial sex, bought her lingerie, took photos of her, advertised her for commercial sex on the internet, and arranged for customers to exploit her at hotels in the Columbia area and elsewhere in the state.

According to a press release, two minors were recruited near a high school.

Officials said members of the conspiracy used the internet to advertise the victims and carry out the crime.

Nicholson is accused of setting prices, collecting proceeds, deciding which minor victims would receive some portion of the proceeds, and how much they would receive.

Gary reportedly chatted with customers as if she was a minor victim, took a minor to another city to be exploited, collected proceeds, and turned them over to Nicholson all while the minor was multiple states away from her family. Perry helped similarly.

One victim was allegedly physically assaulted, and several of the members of the conspiracy carried guns and distributed drugs around the victims.

Under a plea agreement, Gary and Perry agreed to pay restitution to the victims.

United States District Judge Sherri A. Lydon accepted the guilty plea and will sentence Gary and Perry. An indictment is pending against Nicholson and Counts.

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