BUFFALO, NY — A Jamestown man pleaded guilty to federal sex trafficking and drug conspiracy charges.
Kelvin Thomas, 43, of Jamestown, entered his plea before U.S. District Judge John L. Sinatra, Jr. to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute, and to distribute, 40 grams or more of fentanyl, and conspiracy to commit sex trafficking.
The charges carry a mandatory minimum penalty of five years and a maximum of life.
Between October and December 2022, Thomas conspired with Zaid Mendoza and Cora Waddington to conduct a sex trafficking operation involving two individuals with drug addictions, according to Assistant U.S. Attorney Joshua A. Violanti, who is handling the case.
Thomas, Mendoza, and Waddington provided shelter to the victims at a residence in Falconer, and provided them with food, clothing, and daily quantities of heroin and fentanyl in exchange for their performance of commercial sex acts for money, with the proceeds going to Mendoza.
Thomas assisted the operation by securing and communicating with commercial sex buyers, posting online advertisements with photographs of the victims on Skipthegames.com, transporting the victims to out calls away from the residence, and providing protection and assistance to sex trafficking victims while they were on out calls.
In exchange for his assistance, Thomas was paid in drugs by Mendoza or Waddington.
Thomas distributed heroin, fentanyl and methamphetamine for Mendoza and Waddington, in addition to using the drugs himself.
Between Aug. 30 and Oct. 30, 2023, investigators conducted three controlled purchases of fentanyl and methamphetamine from Thomas.
On Nov. 1, 2023, a search warrant was executed at a residence associated with Thomas, during which quantities of fentanyl, methamphetamine, and cocaine were seized.
Mendoza and Waddington were previously convicted.
The investigation was conducted by the Jamestown Police Department Metro Drug Task Force, the Chautauqua County Sheriff’s Office County Drug Task Force, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Homeland Security Investigations, and the Drug Enforcement Administration.
Sentencing is scheduled for Sept. 22 before Judge Sinatra.
