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A man from Daytona, Florida is facing a lengthy prison term after being convicted of sex trafficking two women. Delon Richard Smith, aged 47, received a sentence of more than 27 years in federal prison. His guilty plea was entered in October 2025, and he was sentenced by the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida to 327 months behind bars.
The Department of Justice revealed that Smith’s criminal activities spanned across 2021 and 2022. During this period, he targeted his victims by enticing them with drugs and promises of financial gain. Once under his influence, Smith exploited the women by advertising them online through commercial ads that included one victim’s photograph.
Smith’s operation involved transporting the victims to various locations to meet with commercial sex buyers. The DOJ reports that all financial transactions from these illicit activities were controlled by Smith, who pocketed the earnings. To ensure compliance, he subjected the women to severe physical abuse, forcing them to continue in the degrading trade against their will.
Smith then posted commercial advertisements online featuring one of the victims’ photographs. DOJ reports that Smith transported the victims to various locations to meet commercial sex buyers.
DOJ said that Smith kept all of the money and payments received in exchange for the commercial sex acts and forced the victims to continue to engage in such acts for money by inflicting severe physical harm on them.
Smith regularly punched and choked the victims while talking about his gang affiliations to threaten and coerce them.
DOJ reports that on one occasion, Smith discharged a firearm and held the hot barrel of the weapon to one of the victims’ faces. In another instance, he hit one of the victims in the head with the butt of a gun and dragged her by the hair.
“The manipulation and brutality used by the defendant in this case against his victims was egregious and reprehensible,” said U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe for the Middle District of Florida. “Due to the hard work and diligence of our local and federal law enforcement partners, and courage of the victims, this criminal was brought to justice.”
Smith was also ordered to pay both victims $4,800 in restitution.