CHEROKEE COUNTY, Texas (KETK) – A Cherokee County man was sentenced to life in prison on Wednesday for multiple counts of sex trafficking against teens.

According to information presented in court starting in 2019, Desnique Deshawn Herndon began trafficking multiple teenage girls for commercial sex acts where he recruited the girls through social media and placed them in hotels in Tyler. 

Officials said some of Herndon’s victims were as young as 13-years-old and he would post on sex-trafficking websites that would show explicit photos of the girls and would offer commercial sex acts.

Several people who have conspired with Herndon have previously pleaded guilty to their roles.   Malcolm Kadeem Roberts of Tyler was sentenced to 12 years in November 2023 for conspiracy to commit sex trafficking of children.

On Wednesday, Herndon received seven life sentences for six counts of sex trafficking of children and one count of conspiracy to commit sex trafficking of children.

Acting U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs spoke about the case and emphasized how these kinds of crimes will not be tolerated in East Texas.

“Victimizing children through commercial sex trafficking is reprehensible and will be prosecuted vigorously in East Texas,” Combs said “We will not stand by and watch the lives of young people ruined by predators like Herndon to satisfy the wanton interests of commercial sex customers. 

The case was part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006.