Southwest
Texas influencer sentenced to 10 years in prison for murder-for-hire plot
A Dallas, Texas, woman who runs an online business was sentenced to 10 years in federal prison following her conviction in a murder-for-hire plot.
Ashley Grayson, 35, ran an internet-based business and gained notoriety from her online presence, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Western District of Tennessee.
Grayson described herself on her Instagram account as a bestseller, eight-figure business coach, course creator and philanthropist.
In 2021, Grayson had a falling out with a woman from Southaven, Mississippi, who had an online business similar to her own. This woman was the target of the murder-for-hire plot.
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Ashley Grayson was sentenced to 10 years in federal prison following her conviction in a murder-for-hire plot, according to the DOJ. (iStock)
Grayson believed the woman had been creating fake online profiles that criticized her and her business, although the two women never met in person.
Then, in August 2022, Grayson asked a Memphis woman, whom she had worked with in the past, to fly to Dallas to discuss a “business opportunity.”
The Memphis woman and her husband arrived in Dallas the following month and met with Grayson and her husband, Joshua.
Grayson offered to pay the Memphis couple to kill the Southaven woman, Grayson’s former boyfriend and a Texas woman who had recently made social media posts criticizing Grayson. She offered to pay at least $20,000 for each killing.
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In 2021, Grayson had a falling out with a woman from Southaven, Mississippi, who had an online business similar to her own and who was the target of the murder-for-hire plot. (iStock)
On Sept. 10, 2022, the Memphis woman recorded a video call in which Grayson confirmed that she wanted the Southaven woman killed as soon as possible and even offered an additional $5,000 for the killing to be finished in the next week.
The Memphis couple later sent Grayson a picture of police lights from an unrelated incident in Memphis to make it appear as if they had unsuccessfully attempted to carry out the killings. The couple demanded $10,000, or half of the promised amount, from Grayson. The Memphis couple then went to Dallas and met with Grayson and her husband and collected $10,000 from them for the “attempt.”
In July 2023, a grand jury in Tennessee indicted Grayson and her husband for use of an interstate facility in commission of murder-for-hire. The case went to trial in March of this year, when a jury found Grayson guilty but acquitted her husband.
Grayson was sentenced to 120 months in prison and three years of supervised release. (iStock)
Last month, Grayson was sentenced to 120 months in prison, the maximum sentence permitted for her crime, and three years of supervised release. She will not be eligible for parole since this was a federal case.
“This was a twenty-first century crime where online feuds and senseless rivalries bled into the real world,” Acting U.S. Attorney Reagan Fondren said in a statement. “The defendant tried to hire someone to murder a woman over things that happened exclusively on the internet.”
“Fortunately, no one was physically hurt in this case, but the victim and her family still felt a severe and emotional impact as the result of the defendant’s actions,” the statement continued. “The proactive response from the investigating agencies and our prosecutors prevented an even more serious crime from occurring.”
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Los Angeles, Ca
Man found guilty of sex trafficking victim along L.A.’s Figueroa Corridor
A former Riverside County man was found guilty of sex trafficking a female victim and forcing her to engage in commercial sex acts along L.A.’s notorious Figueroa Corridor.
Elias Abdul Shabazz, 34, formerly of Perris, was found guilty by a jury following a five-day trial, the U.S. Attorney’s Office said.
Prosecutors said Shabazz had led the victim to believe they were in a romantic relationship before he turned physically and sexually violent. He began demanding that the victim engage in commercial sex acts from May to October of 2021, court documents said.
He carried a handgun with him and, on occasion, was accused of using it to pistol-whip the victim. He also fired the gun at her feet while threatening to kill her, prosecutors said.
At trial, the victim said Shabazz demanded that she meet a daily quota of commercial sex proceeds and that she was terrified of the consequences of not meeting that quota.
She testified that Shabazz compelled her to work in the notorious Figueroa Corridor in South L.A., a dangerous area known for human trafficking and prostitution.
Shabazz had confiscated her identification card, Social Security card and birth certificate. He constantly monitored her cell phone to stop her from communicating with any friends or family.
“He also introduced her to addictive narcotics and controlled every aspect of her life, including when she ate, slept and showered,” prosecutors said.
In May 2025, Shabazz was arrested and has remained in federal custody. His last known address at the time was in Washington, D.C.
On June 26, 2026, Shabazz was found guilty of one count of coercing or enticing interstate transportation for purposes of prostitution.
A sentencing hearing is scheduled for Oct. 6, where he faces 15 years to life in prison.
“Sex trafficking matters rank among the most tragic cases our office prosecutes,” said First Assistant U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli. “This defendant will now face many years in a federal prison cell for his sick, disgusting, and disturbing behavior.”
“Elias Shabazz preyed on a vulnerable victim using physical and sexual violence and cruel psychological coercion to compel commercial sex acts for his own profit,” said Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “There is no place for this type of conduct in civilized society. We deeply respect the victim’s courage to face her trafficker in court. The Criminal Division will continue to bring these cases and try them.”
Anyone with information about human trafficking can report tips to the National Human Trafficking Hotline at 888-373-7888
Los Angeles, Ca
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Los Angeles, Ca
Woman ambushed, violently attacked by robber in downtown Long Beach
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