PHILADELPHIA, PA — A Philadelphia man accused of running a profitable sex-trafficking operation for more than a decade was convicted Thursday on all eight charges, including felony human trafficking and involuntary servitude, following a one-day trial.
Terrance L. Jones, 54, was convicted by a judge and is scheduled to be sentenced Dec. 11, according to the Pennsylvania Attorney General’s Office.
Prosecutors said Jones headed a criminal organization that generated hundreds of thousands of dollars annually and operated from 2012 until February 2023.
The convictions followed a years-long investigation by the Attorney General’s Office and Pennsylvania State Police, with evidence presented to the 50th Statewide Investigating Grand Jury. The grand jury examined conduct spanning 2012 through 2023 before returning a presentment.
According to prosecutors, Jones employed drivers to transport trafficked individuals to commercial sex buyers and used a female persona, “Julia,” when recruiting sex workers.
The Attorney General’s Office said prospective recruits believed they were communicating with a woman. Prosecutors said Jones targeted people dealing with substance use disorders or other hardships.
“This defendant, for years, treated human beings as means to a dollar, deceiving them into a web of control, abuse, and exploitation,” Attorney General Dave Sunday said.
The investigation also resulted in charges against alleged drivers, a financial manager and commercial sex buyers.
Thomas Reilly, James Rudolph, Rhaheem Hill and Joseph Franklin were charged as drivers, while Jones’ daughter, Natoria Jones, was charged in connection with serving as a financial manager for the operation, according to the Attorney General’s Office.
Authorities also charged commercial sex buyers Joseph Szegila, Christopher Wood, Stephen Osborne, Pasquale Difelice, Steven May, Michael Bonczak, Brian Smith, Christopher Bello, Jonathan Fellenz, Robert Brutsche, Kevin Bullock, Boris Volinsky, Brian Nice, Gary Ames, Grady Durham and Gregory Doto.
All defendants charged in connection with the investigation except Volinsky have been convicted, according to the Attorney General’s Office. Volinsky’s case remains pending.
Senior Deputy Attorney General Zachary Wynkoop prosecuted the case.
All suspects, arrestees, and defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
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