Brockton Man Sentenced in Connection with Burlington Human Trafficking Operation

WOBURN – Middlesex District Attorney Marian Ryan and Burlington Chief of Police Michael Kent have announced that Shakwaan Simpkins, 26, of Brockton, was sentenced by Judge Thomas Billings to five years to five years and one day in state prison in connection with a 2015 human trafficking operation. Simpkins was found guilty of one count of trafficking a person for sexual servitude by a Middlesex Superior Court jury on March 27, 2018.

“The defendant used a website with the express purpose of recruiting a woman to engage in prostitution. This case highlights the importance of online vigilance by law enforcement officials as human trafficking cases are not always easy to identify and they may often present as incidents of prostitution or sexual assault,” said District Attorney Ryan.

“I would like to thank the officers and prosecutors whose work resulted in today’s sentencing,” said Chief Kent. “Human trafficking has no place in our community and is designed to exploit some of the most vulnerable individuals among us and the defendant will now have to answer for his offenses.”

On November 20, 2015, Burlington Police conducted an undercover operation targeting prostitution-related offenses at a local hotel. Burlington Police had previously placed an advertisement on a website that advertises sexual services. The defendant contacted a number listed in the advertisement and spoke to a female undercover Burlington Police officer and arranged to meet the officer to discuss the prospect of her working for him at the hotel.

During the meeting the defendant told the officer that he had another woman who worked for him as well in a car in the parking lot at the hotel waiting. When the undercover Burlington officer agreed to work for him, Burlington Police placed the defendant under arrest. In the subsequent investigation, authorities learned the defendant was linked to multiple posts on a website that offers sexual services for a fee with several other women.

The prosecutor assigned to this case was Assistant District Attorney Carrie Spiros. The Victim Witness Advocate was Danielle DeMeo.