Topeka woman admits trafficking teen girl for sex in multi-state prostitution ring

A Topeka woman pleaded guilty Monday to the sex trafficking of a minor as part of a multi-state prostitution ring.

Michaela Hekekia, 36, admitted in her guilty plea in U.S. District Court that she trained a girl younger than 18 to work as a prostitute. She also admitted that she transported the girl from Kansas to a motel in Joplin, Mo., to work as a prostitute.

Federal prosecutors said the Topeka-based prostitution ring operated in Kansas, Missouri and Nebraska, and had as many as 20 women working as prostitutes.

Hekekia began working as a prostitute for the ring, and later recruited and trained women and managed the group’s online advertising, according to prosecutors.

She is scheduled to be sentenced in March and faces a sentence of up to five years and 10 months in federal prison.

This story was originally published December 19, 2016 at 12:53 PM with the headline "Topeka woman admits trafficking teen girl for sex in multi-state prostitution ring."