Attorney General Cameron Announces Louisville Man Sentenced for Human Trafficking
FRANKFORT, Ky. (April 8, 2021) – Attorney General Daniel Cameron today announced that an investigation by his Human Trafficking Investigation Unit resulted in the sentencing of Christopher M. Bauda, of Louisville, for human trafficking charges.
“Human trafficking is real, and it’s happening in Kentucky communities every day,” said Attorney General Cameron. “This sentence should signal that we are serious about investigating and prosecuting traffickers in every part of the Commonwealth, and we will not allow Kentuckians to be exploited. I appreciate the work of Detective Rick Lynn in spearheading this investigation and the assistance of Commonwealth’s Attorney Tom Wine’s Office in prosecuting this case.”
On June 10, 2020, the Attorney General’s Office, with assistance from the Louisville Metro Police Department’s Special Victim’s Unit, conducted a joint operation to rescue a female minor and young adult female from a human trafficking operation, run by Bauda, in Louisville. Following the joint operation, the Attorney General’s Office interviewed potential human trafficking victims involved in the case.
Bauda was sentenced in Jefferson Circuit Court for the following: two counts of Human Trafficking (Class B felony), unlawful use of electronic means to induce a minor to engage in sexual or other prohibited activities (Class D felony), two counts of unlawful transaction with a minor in the first degree (Class C felony). All sentences are to run concurrently for a total of eighteen years.
Bauda is not eligible for probation and is subject to a period of five years of post-incarceration supervision. Bauda is required to register as a sex offender for his lifetime and to pay $10,000 to the Kentucky Human Trafficking Victim’s Fund.
Assistant Commonwealth’s Attorney Kristi Gray prosecuted the case on behalf of the Commonwealth.
Gray stated, “This sentence should make it clear that there will be serious consequences for anyone who chooses to prey on vulnerable young women in our community.”
The Human Trafficking Investigation Unit worked with Jennifer Middleton of the University of Louisville’s Human Trafficking Research Initiative, the Southeast Christian Church Human Trafficking Advocacy Team, the Kentucky Department for Community Based Services, the Office of the United States Attorney for the Western District of Kentucky, Amber R. McDonald of the University of Colorado School of Medicine, the Louisville Metro Police Department, Free2Hope, and Norton Children’s Hospital on this case.
Earlier this year, Attorney General Cameron launched the “Your Eyes Save Lives” human trafficking awareness campaign in the Commonwealth to enlist the help of every Kentuckian to recognize and report human trafficking. To learn more, visit YourEyesSaveLives.ky.gov.
###
|
