A federal grand jury has indicted a Delaware man and woman on multiple charges, including sex trafficking and forced labor trafficking, in what authorities describe as a despicable and harrowing case. The accused, Clifton H. Gibbs, 66, and Brooke D. Waters, 44, of Lewes, Delaware, allegedly ran a sex trafficking ring between 2014 and 2020. Their modus operandi was to threaten their victims with severe harm if they did not comply with their demands.
The indictment details that the duo recruited, transported, and forced nine victims into commercial sex acts. They also compelled six individuals to work for them under duress, threatening them with severe harm if they refused. Additionally, they transported three victims across state lines to engage in criminal sexual activity.
The allegations against the duo are deeply disturbing, with their alleged crimes amounting to sex trafficking and forced labor trafficking. The exact nature of the relationship between the duo remains unclear.
If the duo is found guilty, they could face life imprisonment, with a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years for the sex trafficking charges and a maximum of 20 years for the forced labor charges. The interstate transportation of individuals for criminal sexual activity is punishable by up to 10 years in prison.
News of the duo’s alleged crimes has sent shockwaves through the coastal town of Lewes, with residents expressing outrage and dismay. The community is struggling to come to terms with the horrific nature of the charges against Gibbs and Waters, who were both residents of the town, located just eight miles north of Rehoboth Beach.
The case is a sobering reminder of the dark side of human trafficking, a pervasive issue that affects millions of people worldwide. As the legal process unfolds, authorities are committed to bringing justice to the victims and holding those responsible for such heinous crimes accountable for their actions.