BALTIMORE, MD—Attorney General Anthony G. Brown this week announced the guilty plea of Kenika Danielle Leach, 33, of Baltimore, Maryland, before the Honorable Brett R. Wilson of the Circuit Court for Washington County. Leach pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit sex trafficking, distribution of a controlled dangerous substance–cocaine, and receiving the earnings of a prostitute.

The investigation identified at least 11 women from Hagerstown who had been trafficked by Leach and her co-conspirators to hotels and motels throughout Maryland for the purposes of performing commercial sex acts. The charges stemmed from a two-year, multi-agency investigation led by the Attorney General’s Organized Crime Unit. In December 2021, the investigation began when the local hospital personnel notified the Baltimore Police Department that a patient had disclosed being sex trafficked by Leach. More specifically, the victim-survivors told police that Leach had taken her from Hagerstown to the Baltimore area to commit commercial sex acts, for which Leach received money and drugs. Soon thereafter, detectives contacted the Attorney General’s Organized Crime Unit.

“Individuals who engage in sex trafficking often exploit people struggling with addiction, manipulating them through a destructive cycle of drug use, shame, and abuse,” said Attorney General Brown. “In this case, my office secured justice for the victims trapped in this vicious cycle, offering them a path toward healing and the opportunity to reclaim their lives.”

By collaborating with partner agencies, including Homeland Security Investigations and the Maryland State Police, and reviewing large amounts of cell phone, social media, and financial records, the investigative team identified 10 additional women who had been trafficked by Leach from Hagerstown to hotels in the Baltimore and Anne Arundel County areas for the purpose of performing commercial sex acts.

As alleged in the indictment, Leach exploited the women’s drug addictions by controlling their access to drugs. By giving the victim-survivors drugs, the women became indebted to Leach for “drug debts,” which they were then forced to repay by engaging in commercial sex acts. The money that the victim-survivors earned from these acts would often be paid directly to Leach through a peer-to-peer payment application.

The indictment also alleges that Leach used physical violence to coerce and control the women. For example, when Leach intended to physically assault the women as punishment for disobeying her rules, she would order them to “get on the wall” and cover their faces so that she could batter them without impacting their facial features. Leach also used intimidation and manipulation to coerce the women to remain obedient and loyal to her.

Leach will be sentenced by Judge Wilson on February 18, 2025. She remains held without bond pending sentencing. She faces a maximum sentence of 40 years of incarceration.

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