A Clarksdale man has been sentenced in Coahoma County Circuit Court for human trafficking of a minor.
On Monday Coahoma County Circuit Court Judge Charles E. Webster sentenced Darnell Dye to serve 25 years, with 20 to serve day for day and five to serve in post-release supervision in the custody of the Mississippi Department of Corrections.
Dye was sentenced for Human Trafficking of a Minor, Tampering of a Witness, as well as several related crimes. Dye will be required to register as a sex offender.
While crimes brought before the Circuit Court in Coahoma County are typically handled by District Attorney Brenda Mitchell, this case was investigated and prosecuted by the Mississippi Attorney General’s Office.
“This case, which started with a tip to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, is another example of the impact ordinary individuals can make when they step up to be the solution,” said Attorney General Lynn Fitch. “I am grateful to my team for their diligence in investigating the initial tip and prosecuting this perpetrator. I urge everyone: if you see something, say something. Your vigilance could be the key toward ending human trafficking in Mississippi.”
Upon receiving a tip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC), the Attorney General’s Cyber Crime Division and Human Trafficking Unit executed multiple search warrants, providing access to messages instructing the minor victim to engage in commercial sexual activity with other adults for his financial benefit. The case was prosecuted by the Attorney General’s Special Victims Unit (SVU).
If you have information about a child being sexually exploited online, please report it to 1-800-THE-LOST (1-800-843-5678). The hotline is manned 24 hours a day, seven days a week by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children and tips are reported to the Attorney General’s Office. You can also make a report online at www.cybertipline.org.
