SAN DIEGO (CNS) - A man who attempted to recruit a 16-year-old girl to become a prostitute was convicted by a San Diego jury this week of federal charges.
Keenon Green, 35, was arrested last year at a park in Santee, where prosecutors say he had planned to meet up with a teenage girl and take her to Orange County to work as a prostitute.
However, the underage girl he knew as "Lexi" was actually an undercover San Diego County sheriff's deputy, according to court documents.
Prosecutors say Green began conversing with Lexi over Instagram in December of 2021. In their messages, the pair discussed Lexi working for Green as a prostitute, which would involve her working the street until Green could secure her a fake ID in order to begin posting online sex ads.
In one exchange, Lexi mentions that she is 16, in high school, and was late in responding to Green's messages because she was working on her biology homework.
The U.S. Attorney's Office alleges Green sought to pick up Lexi and have her earn him $1,000 "before returning her to San Diego on Monday to attend high school."
After reviewing his social media activity, it was revealed Green had messaged several other Instagram users with proposals to work for him as prostitutes, according to prosecutors.
Green was found guilty on Wednesday of one count each of attempted sex trafficking of children and attempted enticement of a minor.
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