Antonio Marquis Nicholson and Terrell Counts, both 33, have admitted guilt in a human trafficking conspiracy involving minors. The two men, from West Columbia and Columbia respectively, pleaded guilty to charges related to the coercion and enticement of a minor.
Evidence presented in court showed that between December 2022 and August 2023, Nicholson and Counts collaborated with Monesha Gary and Rebecca Perry to exploit three minors for commercial sex work. Nicholson was identified as the leader of the operation, targeting minors including a runaway whom he transported across state lines for exploitation. The minors were provided with lingerie, photographed, and advertised online for commercial sex services in various locations including the Midlands, Upstate South Carolina, Myrtle Beach, and Fayetteville, North Carolina.
Nicholson used force and threats to maintain control over the victims. He was reported to have pointed a firearm at one victim and directed assaults against them. Counts assisted Nicholson by managing operations in his absence, overseeing transactions, and providing logistical support such as transportation and surveillance during commercial activities.
Both men face potential life sentences along with fines up to $250,000. They will also be subject to lifetime supervision following imprisonment and mandatory registration as sex offenders. As part of their plea agreements, they have agreed to pay restitution to their victims.
United States District Judge Sherri A. Lydon accepted their guilty pleas; sentencing will occur after reviewing reports from the U.S. Probation Office. Co-defendants Gary and Perry have also pleaded guilty and await sentencing.
This case is part of Project Safe Childhood—a U.S. Department of Justice initiative aimed at combating child sexual exploitation—coordinated by federal prosecutors alongside state resources for apprehending offenders and rescuing victims.
The investigation involved multiple law enforcement agencies including Homeland Security Investigations, South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED), South Carolina Attorney General’s Office among others. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Elliott B. Daniels and Ariyana N. Gore are leading the prosecution.