The trial of a man accused of sex trafficking has begun at the Earle Cabell Federal Courthouse in Dallas.
Daniel Rey Settle, 37, was arrested in January 2021 after a multiagency investigation suggested that he had been operating an interstate sex trafficking operation since March 2020.
Providing testimony in this case is the primary alleged victim, whose mother was the one to alert the authorities about Settle.
The 21-year-old victim had allegedly solicited and performed sex work under force and coercion from the defendant since she was 18. Prosecutors claim that Settle forced her to bring in at least $1,000 per day through commercial sex acts, or she wasn’t allowed to return home. This allegedly continued even after she was hospitalized for being stabbed over 20 times in May 2020.
In line with these allegations, Settle faces one felony count of sex trafficking. A felony count of obstruction of an official proceeding against him was tacked on after alleged attempts to get the victim to change her story.
Settle pleaded not guilty to these charges. His defense attorney, Russell Wilson II, is mounting a defense that hinges on the claim that the victim pursued prostitution on her own.
Wilson’s opening statement on October 18 suggested that Settle’s defense would rely on the victim’s multiple arrests for prostitution and her allegedly telling police that she was performing sex work of her own volition. Moreover, the victim’s character will also be questioned due to her allegedly being a “troubled youth” and choosing “a life of crime.”
Meanwhile, the prosecution will focus on text messages between Settle and the victim to support the allegation that Settle was domineering and violent towards her. For instance, some of the messages allegedly show Settle threatening the victim for not following his orders.
The trial is expected to conclude by October 20.
Prostitution and sex trafficking continue to be rampant issues in North Texas.
For instance, last month a federal-led sex sting conducted in Dallas-Fort Worth resulted in 134 arrests of alleged johns, as reported in The Dallas Express. The State of Texas was the first in the country to make the solicitation of sex a felony offense in 2021, paving the way for such investigations and arrests.
Dallas has seen a substantial increase in prostitution-related offenses in 2023 as DPD’s Northwest Patrol Division’s efforts to curb such activity in its jurisdiction, as reported in The Dallas Express. This rise even prompted the Dallas City Council to pass a new measure last week making it easier for police to cite individuals for solicitation of sex without necessarily having to prove that a sex act took place.
The City of Dallas has logged 524 prostitution offenses citywide this year as of October 19, representing a 139% spike year over year. Although the number of human trafficking offenses logged citywide has remained comparatively low at 41, this figure represents a 32% year-over-year increase.
The Dallas Police Department has been considerably strained in its efforts to combat crime overall due to an ongoing officer shortage. Although the City currently employs just under 3,200 officers, a prior analysis suggested that Dallas would require about three officers for every 1,000 residents — approximately 4,000 officers — to be adequately policed.
Downtown Dallas reflects this shortage most of all, with significantly higher crime rates logged there than in the centers of other cities, including neighboring Fort Worth. A special neighborhood police unit and private security guards reportedly patrol Fort Worth’s downtown area.