OAKLAND — A 37-year-old San Francisco man will serve eight years in federal prison for participating in a conspiracy to commit human trafficking, prosecutors said.
Michael Lavell Simon III pleaded guilty to the charge in July, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
In the plea agreement, Simon admitted to engaging in a conspiracy to commit human trafficking by force, fraud or coercion on the Oakland Blade and at other locations between June 2023 and September 2025, prosecutors said in a news release.
Prosecutors said Simon and his accomplices booked and used hotel rooms in Oakland to harbor a pair of victims. The rooms were also used for commercial sex acts.
Simon and his co-conspirators relied on cellphones to identify and take calls from prospective clients, as well as to communicate with the victims, prosecutors said. Victims were instructed to go to specific hotel rooms to perform sex acts and to advertise their services.
The victims were not allowed to keep the money that they earned, prosecutors said. In addition, they were expected to engage in sex work when told and did not have any say in their hours, fees or the location in which they were to perform the acts.
Prosecutors said Simon hit victims who refused to engage in sex work or failed to hand over money that they earned.
In addition to the eight-year prison term, a judge on Thursday sentenced Simon to five years of supervised release and ordered a $5,000 Justice for Victims of Trafficking Act fine.
Simon remains in federal custody.