In a case that the Biden DOJ refused to prosecute, the Florida Attorney General secured a 120-year prison sentence for a convicted human trafficker.
Attorney General James Uthmeier recently announced that the Office of Statewide Prosecution secured a 120-year prison sentence for 50-year-old Marquett James, of Hillsborough County. The incarceration will be served over 90 years, with some terms running concurrently, according to the Florida AG.
“In a case that the Biden DOJ refused to prosecute, our Office of Statewide Prosecution worked with HSI under the Trump administration to deliver a sentence that ensures this offender will never have the opportunity to exploit another victim,” said Attorney General James Uthmeier. “Crimes of this nature cause life-long harm and must be met with punishments that reflect their severity. In Florida, there will be no leniency for sexual predators and human traffickers.”
Marquett James was convicted in November 2025 on felony charges of Human Trafficking (two counts), Racketeering, and Conspiracy to Commit Racketeering.
James was investigated by the Department of Homeland Security after a cyber tip was submitted to the National Human Trafficking Hotline in May 2021.
The investigation revealed that between 2012 and 2020, James targeted young women by initiating romantic relationships and later coercing them into commercial sex acts. James forced both victims to engage in prostitution, seized all profits, and subjected them to ongoing physical, sexual, and psychological abuse.
In one case, James threatened to release pornographic material he produced of the victim to maintain control. Investigators estimate that James profited in the hundreds of thousands of dollars from each victim. One victim became homeless as a result of James’ abuse.
Special Counsels Rita Peters and Stephanie Bergen secured the conviction.
Marquett James will serve his sentence in the Florida Department of Corrections.
