A Baldwin County man, William Guy Long, has been sentenced to 276 months in prison for attempted sex trafficking of a child. U.S. District Court Judge Anna Manasco delivered the sentence, which includes a life term of supervised release and a $5,000 payment under the Justice for Victims of Trafficking Act of 2015.
Long, 27, from Bay Minette, Alabama, pleaded guilty in October to attempting to solicit an underage girl for sex. According to the plea agreement, Long contacted an escort and offered her $500 to bring him a girl aged 10 or younger. He later increased the offer to $800 if she would bring her nine-year-old daughter out of school that day. Instead of complying with Long's request, the escort informed law enforcement.
Law enforcement corroborated Long's intentions through text messages. ICE agents and officers from Hoover and Pelham Police Departments conducted surveillance at a hotel where Long expected to meet the child. Upon opening his hotel room door, Long was apprehended by law enforcement instead. He admitted to communicating with an escort for soliciting a minor child for an unlawful sex act. With his consent, agents searched his cell phone and found further incriminating messages.
The investigation was carried out by ICE alongside local police departments. Assistant U.S. Attorney R. Leann White prosecuted the case.
Child sex trafficking remains a significant issue; in 2024 alone, over 27,800 reports were received by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC), marking more than a 30% increase since 2023.
The Justice for Victims of Trafficking Act provides tools to address human trafficking crimes and includes a mandatory special assessment fee that supports services for victims.