Dover man gets 11 years for sex trafficking minor on now-defunct website

CONCORD - A 28-year-old Dover was sentenced to 11 years in federal prison on Tuesday for sex trafficking of a minor, the U.S. Attorneys Office announced.

According to court documents and statements made in court, in 2017 Tyler Townsend posted online advertisements offering a minor female for commercial sex acts on a now-defunct website. The online account used to post the advertisements was linked to Townsend through email and phone records.

"Preying on our community's most vulnerable members -- our children -- is a horrific crime that we will not tolerate," said U.S. Attorney Jane E. Young. "Our office will devote every available resource to stopping the sexual exploitation of children and pursuing justice on behalf of victims."

Townsend often dealt directly with prospective individuals who responded to the advertisements, negotiating terms and discussing prices, according to a U.S. Attorneys Office press release. He also frequently accompanied the minor female and collected the money that was paid by the individuals in exchange for sex with the minor female.

"Townsend trafficked a minor, turning a profit on the exploitation of a young life. He orchestrated meetings with strangers for commercial sex, placing her in incredibly dangerous situations for his own monetary enrichment without concern for her welfare," said Matthew Millhollin, Special Agent in Charge Homeland Security Investigations in New England. "HSI continues in our commitment to pursue human traffickers and to connect survivors with the services they deserve. This outcome could not be achieved without the New Hampshire Human Trafficking Task Force and partnerships of the New Hampshire Division of Child, Youth and Family Services and the Manchester Police Department."

The case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations in collaboration with the New Hampshire Human Trafficking Collaborative Task Force, the New Hampshire Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, the Manchester Police Department and the Dover Police Department.

It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kasey Weiland and Anna Dronzek.