St. Paul man admits to trafficking women and girls

A St. Paul man pleaded guilty Friday to trafficking five women and girls as part of a multistate sex-trafficking ring.

Thomas E. Evans, 25, pleaded guilty in Ramsey County District Court to three counts of engaging in the sex trafficking of an individual under 18, and three counts of engaging in sex trafficking. His victims ranged in age from 16 to 24.

Evans testified Friday that he prostituted many more women and girls in at least 14 states, from Nevada to Florida and across the Midwest.

"I've been to a lot of states," Evans testified under questioning by Assistant Ramsey County Attorney Karen Kugler. "I had over 100 girls."

As part of the plea deal, Evans avoided federal prosecution in those cases. One count of sex trafficking was also dismissed.

"Today, we are reiterating an important message: Women and girls are not for sale to men in our community," Ramsey County Attorney John Choi said in a written statement.

Evans, described as the ringleader of the trafficking operation, agreed to a 20-year prison sentence to be handed down on Aug. 27, and to testify at the trials of his three alleged conspirators.

Evans and Ishmael J. Williams, 21, managed their own victims, but worked together to post ads for sex and provide "protection" and transportation for customers seeking sex, according to the criminal complaints.

Keller, Suwan D. Cross, 20, and Evans' sister, Yolanda K. Foster, 28, solicited girls, rented rooms, provided transportation and posted ads for sex, the charges said.

Evans was at times evasive and argumentative on the witness stand.

"She didn't know what I was doing in them rooms," Evans said when Kugler asked him about the hotel rooms Foster allegedly rented for him. "You can look at me crazy all you want."

Kugler asked if customers had sex with the women in the hotel rooms.

"For the purpose of sex?" Kugler pressed.

"Yeah, man, yeah," Evans said.