A young woman from Lebanon is lucky to be alive after allegedly being kept as a sex slave in Laclede County for the past six years.
A federal grand has indicted four men from southwest Missouri men and a man from St. Louis for allegedly forcing a mentally handicapped woman into sexual slavery and prostitution.
The federal indictment alleges that the now 24 year-old woman was sexually abused and tortured for several years in a Lebanon, Mo., home, and forced to work as an exotic dancer at local strip clubs. It appears that being electrocuted is what saved the woman's life.
U. S. Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, Beth Phillips says, “The allegations contained in this indictment are among the most horrific ever prosecuted in this district. The sexual torture suffered over a period of years by the victim is highly disturbing."
Edward Bagley, Sr., 43, and Michael Stokes, 62, both of Lebanon, Mo., Dennis Henry, 50, of Wheatland, Mo., James Noel, 44, of Springfield, Mo., and Bradley Cook, 31, of St. Louis, Mo., were charged in an 11-count indictment that was returned under seal by a grand jury in Kansas City on Wednesday, Sept. 8, 2010. The charges were unsealed and made public today after all of the men appeared in federal court.
Henry is the postmaster Nevada, Mo.; Stokes is a national representative for Disabled American Veterans.
The federal indictment alleges that, from December 2002 to February 2009, Bagley coerced the mentally handicapped woman (who is identified as“FV" in court documents) to become a sex slave and sexually tortured her.
It is alleged that Bagley advertised online that FV could be sexually tortured during live online sessions or in person. The indictment alleges that Stokes, Henry, Noel and Cook participated in this conspiracy as customers who paid Bagley to sexually abuse and torture FV. The indictment also alleges that Bagley forced FV to work as a stripper and made her give him the money she made.
The federal investigation was launched after Bagley allegedly suffocated and electrocuted FV during a torture session that sent the young woman into cardiac arrest on Feb. 27, 2009.
According to the federal indictment, Bagley enticed FV, a 16-year-old runaway who suffered from mental deficiencies, into his trailer home in December 2002 by promising to help her to become a model and a dancer; she was given her own bedroom and provided with clothes and food. Bagley allegedly supplied FV with marijuana and ecstasy, showed her images of pornography and sadomasochism activities, and began sexually abusing her.
The federal investigation was launched after Bagley allegedly suffocated and electrocuted FV during a torture session to a state of cardiac arrest on Feb. 27, 2009. FV, who was 23 years old at that time, received emergency medical treatment and was hospitalized.
It is alleged that if the young woman wanted to stop the activity, or cried for help, Bagley escalated the torture and allegedly threatened to kill her. Bagley kept numerous weapons in the house and shot animals that FV cared for in front of her. Bagley also told the woman there were bodies buried in the woods behind their home, and that he would bury her alive and showed her a video on how he would to do it.
Court documents say that Bagley began sexually torturing FV in February of 2004 when she turned 18 years old and that Bagley made her sign a “sex slave contract,” which he convinced the mentally handicapped woman legally bound her to him as his slave for the rest of her life.
Bagley had FV tattooed with a bar code, a tribal tattoo on her neck and the "S" to mark her as a slave and his personal property.
Between February 2005 and February 2009, Bagley tortured FV on live web casts on the Internet. Noel paid Bagley $300 to watch Bagley torture FV, and to sexually abuse and torture the woman. Henry and Stokes also sexually abused and tortured FV, and watched Bagley torture FV. Cook sexually abused and tortured FV and downloaded streaming Internet video of Bagley torturing FV.
Stokes paid Bagley with steaks, cigarettes, coats, clothing, lighters and cash. Henry and Stokes paid approximately $2,900 for Bagley to transport FV to California in December 2006 for a photo shoot in which FV performed sexual acts. Henry accompanied Bagley on that trip. Stokes also paid Bagley $300 for a torture session, and gave him money to build a homemade sexual torture device. Cook gave Bradley a hard drive with sadomasochism and torture videos downloaded from the Internet.
In addition to the criminal conspiracy, each of the five defendants is also charged with one count of commercial sex trafficking and one count of using the Internet to facilitate the unlawful activity.
Bagley is also charged with forced labor trafficking and document servitude. The federal indictment alleges that Bagley forced FV to work as a stripper and exotic dancer at adult entertainment clubs from June 2007 to February 2009. Bagley allegedly earned approximately $112,200 from FV’s work then tortured the woman for not being the top earner at the club.
Under federal statutes, a conviction for commercial sex trafficking carries a penalty of a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years in federal prison without parole. A conviction for either commercial sex trafficking or forced labor trafficking that involves aggravated sexual abuse carries a maximum penalty of life in federal prison without parole.
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Court documents say that in February of 2004, when she turned 18 years old, Bagley made FV her sign a “sex slave contract,” which he convinced the mentally handicapped woman legally bound her to him as his slave for the rest of her life.
It is alleged that if the young woman wanted to stop the repeated torture, or cried for help, Bagley escalated the torture and allegedly threatened to kill her. Bagley kept numerous weapons in the house and shot animals that FV cared for in front of her. Bagley also told the woman there were bodies buried in the woods behind their home, and that he would bury her alive and showed her a video on how he would to do it.
Another co-defendant of Henry's, James Noel, 45, of Springfield, has also pleaded guilty to participating in the conspiracy to commit sex trafficking by force, fraud or coercion. Noel admitted that he was one of the customers who sexually abused and tortured FV. Noel watched the victim being tortured and sometimes operated torture devices himself beginning in 2006, when she was approximately 20 years old. Noel knew that FV hated being electrocuted with a crank phone (which was wired inside FV’s vaginal and anal openings and to her toes), which he described as “extremely painful,” but he used it on her anyway.
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No sentencing date has been scheduled for either man. Bagley and other co-defendants await trial.
A federal grand has indicted four men from southwest Missouri men and a man from St. Louis for allegedly forcing a mentally handicapped woman into sexual slavery and prostitution.
The federal indictment alleges that the now 24 year-old woman was sexually abused and tortured for several years in a Lebanon, Mo., home, and forced to work as an exotic dancer at local strip clubs. It appears that being electrocuted is what saved the woman's life.
U. S. Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, Beth Phillips says, “The allegations contained in this indictment are among the most horrific ever prosecuted in this district. The sexual torture suffered over a period of years by the victim is highly disturbing."
Edward Bagley, Sr., 43, and Michael Stokes, 62, both of Lebanon, Mo., Dennis Henry, 50, of Wheatland, Mo., James Noel, 44, of Springfield, Mo., and Bradley Cook, 31, of St. Louis, Mo., were charged in an 11-count indictment that was returned under seal by a grand jury in Kansas City on Wednesday, Sept. 8, 2010. The charges were unsealed and made public today after all of the men appeared in federal court.
Henry is the postmaster Nevada, Mo.; Stokes is a national representative for Disabled American Veterans.
The federal indictment alleges that, from December 2002 to February 2009, Bagley coerced the mentally handicapped woman (who is identified as“FV" in court documents) to become a sex slave and sexually tortured her.
It is alleged that Bagley advertised online that FV could be sexually tortured during live online sessions or in person. The indictment alleges that Stokes, Henry, Noel and Cook participated in this conspiracy as customers who paid Bagley to sexually abuse and torture FV. The indictment also alleges that Bagley forced FV to work as a stripper and made her give him the money she made.
The federal investigation was launched after Bagley allegedly suffocated and electrocuted FV during a torture session that sent the young woman into cardiac arrest on Feb. 27, 2009.
According to the federal indictment, Bagley enticed FV, a 16-year-old runaway who suffered from mental deficiencies, into his trailer home in December 2002 by promising to help her to become a model and a dancer; she was given her own bedroom and provided with clothes and food. Bagley allegedly supplied FV with marijuana and ecstasy, showed her images of pornography and sadomasochism activities, and began sexually abusing her.
The federal investigation was launched after Bagley allegedly suffocated and electrocuted FV during a torture session to a state of cardiac arrest on Feb. 27, 2009. FV, who was 23 years old at that time, received emergency medical treatment and was hospitalized.
It is alleged that if the young woman wanted to stop the activity, or cried for help, Bagley escalated the torture and allegedly threatened to kill her. Bagley kept numerous weapons in the house and shot animals that FV cared for in front of her. Bagley also told the woman there were bodies buried in the woods behind their home, and that he would bury her alive and showed her a video on how he would to do it.
Court documents say that Bagley began sexually torturing FV in February of 2004 when she turned 18 years old and that Bagley made her sign a “sex slave contract,” which he convinced the mentally handicapped woman legally bound her to him as his slave for the rest of her life.
Bagley had FV tattooed with a bar code, a tribal tattoo on her neck and the "S" to mark her as a slave and his personal property.
Between February 2005 and February 2009, Bagley tortured FV on live web casts on the Internet. Noel paid Bagley $300 to watch Bagley torture FV, and to sexually abuse and torture the woman. Henry and Stokes also sexually abused and tortured FV, and watched Bagley torture FV. Cook sexually abused and tortured FV and downloaded streaming Internet video of Bagley torturing FV.
Stokes paid Bagley with steaks, cigarettes, coats, clothing, lighters and cash. Henry and Stokes paid approximately $2,900 for Bagley to transport FV to California in December 2006 for a photo shoot in which FV performed sexual acts. Henry accompanied Bagley on that trip. Stokes also paid Bagley $300 for a torture session, and gave him money to build a homemade sexual torture device. Cook gave Bradley a hard drive with sadomasochism and torture videos downloaded from the Internet.
In addition to the criminal conspiracy, each of the five defendants is also charged with one count of commercial sex trafficking and one count of using the Internet to facilitate the unlawful activity.
Bagley is also charged with forced labor trafficking and document servitude. The federal indictment alleges that Bagley forced FV to work as a stripper and exotic dancer at adult entertainment clubs from June 2007 to February 2009. Bagley allegedly earned approximately $112,200 from FV’s work then tortured the woman for not being the top earner at the club.
Under federal statutes, a conviction for commercial sex trafficking carries a penalty of a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years in federal prison without parole. A conviction for either commercial sex trafficking or forced labor trafficking that involves aggravated sexual abuse carries a maximum penalty of life in federal prison without parole.
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Former Post Master Pleads Guilty To Sex-Trafficking And Taking Part In Torture Of Sex Slave:
A man from Wheatland, Mo, has pleaded guilty in federal court to his role in a sex-trafficking conspiracy in which a young, mentally deficient woman was coerced into being a sex slave for at least five years while being tortured in a trailer in Lebanaon.
Dennis Henry, 51, who was formerly the postmaster in Nevada, Mo., pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit sex trafficking by force, fraud or coercion. Henry also pleaded guilty to transporting the victim across state lines for sexual activity.
By pleading guilty today, Henry admitted that he engaged in sex with the victim, who is identified in court documents as “FV” (female victim), and participated in torture sessions with FV that would last for hours.
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According to Henry, FV was subject to the most extreme forms of torture he had ever seen, and he never offered the victim help.
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According to Henry, FV was subject to the most extreme forms of torture he had ever seen, and he never offered the victim help.
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The federal investigation was launched after Edward Bagley Sr., 43, of Lebanon allegedly suffocated and electrocuted FV during a torture session to a state of cardiac arrest on Feb. 27, 2009. FV, who was 23 years old at that time, received emergency medical treatment and was hospitalized. |
| Edward Bagley Sr. (mug shot LCSO) |
According to court records, Bagley enticed FV, a 16-year-old runaway who suffered from mental deficiencies, into his trailer home in December 2002 by promising to help her to become a model and a dancer; she was given her own bedroom and provided with clothes and food. Bagley allegedly supplied FV with marijuana and ecstasy, showed her images of pornography and sadomasochism activities, and began sexually abusing her.
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Federal prosecutors say Bagley had FV tattooed with a bar code, a tribal tattoo on her neck and the "S" to mark her as a slave and his personal property.
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Federal prosecutors say Bagley had FV tattooed with a bar code, a tribal tattoo on her neck and the "S" to mark her as a slave and his personal property.
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Bagley is is also charged with forced labor trafficking and document servitude. A federal indictment alleges that Bagley forced FV to work as a stripper and exotic dancer at adult entertainment clubs from June 2007 to February 2009. Bagley allegedly earned approximately $112,200 from FV’s work and allegedly would torture the woman for not being the club's top money maker.
Henry admitted he visited FV at the strip club in Lebanon she was forced to work at.
Court documents say that in February of 2004, when she turned 18 years old, Bagley made FV her sign a “sex slave contract,” which he convinced the mentally handicapped woman legally bound her to him as his slave for the rest of her life.
It is alleged that if the young woman wanted to stop the repeated torture, or cried for help, Bagley escalated the torture and allegedly threatened to kill her. Bagley kept numerous weapons in the house and shot animals that FV cared for in front of her. Bagley also told the woman there were bodies buried in the woods behind their home, and that he would bury her alive and showed her a video on how he would to do it.
Henry told prosecutors when he met the victim in 2004, he believed she was neglected. She also appeared developmentally delayed for someone her age. She did not know how to think for herself, took long periods of time to think and comprehend something and had a difficult time keeping up with conversations. Henry observed that FV did not know how to eat with a knife and a fork, and he taught her how to use silverware.
Between February 2005 and February 2009, Bagley tortured FV on live web casts on the Internet. James Noel paid Bagley $300 to watch Bagley to sexually abuse and torture the woman. Another man allegedly sexually abused and tortured FV and downloaded streaming Internet video of Bagley torturing FV.
-Another man charged in this crime, Michael Stokes, 62, of Lebanon, allegedly paid Bagley with steaks, cigarettes, coats, clothing, lighters and cash to have sex with FV. Henry and Stokes gave Bagley $2,900 to transport FV to California in December 2006 for a photo shoot in which FV performed sexual acts. Sex toys, machines and devices filled the trunk and backseat of the car, with Henry, FV and another person crowded into the front seat. Henry drove most of the way from Missouri to California, where they stayed in a dirty motel room that was located in front of an alley filled with trash, needles and drug paraphernalia.
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According to Henry, FV became scared when they arrived in California. When she saw the crank phone that was used to administer electric shocks, she withdrew and “melted.” Henry found FV crying in a room. FV told him she hated the crank phone and was worried she would not be able to take the pain. Henry provided approximately $1,400 for this trip to California. At a later date, he provided another $500 for a return trip, which he did not join.
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According to Henry, FV became scared when they arrived in California. When she saw the crank phone that was used to administer electric shocks, she withdrew and “melted.” Henry found FV crying in a room. FV told him she hated the crank phone and was worried she would not be able to take the pain. Henry provided approximately $1,400 for this trip to California. At a later date, he provided another $500 for a return trip, which he did not join.
Henry told prosecutors that he saw pictures of FV’s vagina sewn shut, which he was told was a form of punishment. Another form of punishment included locking FV in a cage.
-Another co-defendant of Henry's, James Noel, 45, of Springfield, has also pleaded guilty to participating in the conspiracy to commit sex trafficking by force, fraud or coercion. Noel admitted that he was one of the customers who sexually abused and tortured FV. Noel watched the victim being tortured and sometimes operated torture devices himself beginning in 2006, when she was approximately 20 years old. Noel knew that FV hated being electrocuted with a crank phone (which was wired inside FV’s vaginal and anal openings and to her toes), which he described as “extremely painful,” but he used it on her anyway.
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No sentencing date has been scheduled for either man. Bagley and other co-defendants await trial.
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