TitleTrafficking in persons, facilitating prostition
Assessed case number:CR 14 366, United States District Court, Northern District of California
Brief description of the caseOmuro was the operator of the website myredbook.com. According to information available on that website as of the date of its seizure by the FBI, myredbook.com purported to provide “Escort, Massage, and Strip Club Reviews”. Although the website could be accessed for free, myredbook.com charged fees for premier placement of prostitution advertisers and for “VIP Membership,” which purportedly allowed customers access to “private forums” and to search reviews of the prostitution services. According to an affidavit submitted in connection with the sentencing hearing, the FBI identified more than 50 juveniles who were also advertisers on myredbook.com for the purpose of prostitution. Co-defendant Annmarie Lanoce pleaded guilty to assisting Omuro with the operation of the myredbook site pursuant to a diversion program that ran into 2016. At sentencing, Omuro was ordered to forfeit more than USD 1.28 million in proceeds from his operation of the site.