Billings man admits attempted sex trafficking of minor girl

BILLINGS - A Billings man today admitted to a sex trafficking crime after he was accused of offering to provide a minor girl alcohol in exchange for sex, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said.

The defendant, Joshua Allen Morgan, 40, pleaded guilty to attempted sex trafficking of a minor. Morgan faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and five years to a lifetime of supervised release. Under the terms of a plea agreement, the parties agree that a sentence of no less than 15 years in prison is appropriate.

U.S. Magistrate Judge Timothy J. Cavan presided. A sentencing date will be set before U.S. District Judge Susan P. Watters. The court will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Morgan was detained pending further proceedings.

The government alleged in court documents that in March 2023, following Morgan's arrest on other charges, law enforcement served a search warrant on his phone. Law enforcement found Facebook communications between Morgan and a juvenile girl, identified as Jane Doe. In an interview with law enforcement, Doe disclosed that she had met Morgan when she was 15 or 16 after he began sending her messages on Facebook. Morgan provided Doe with alcohol, and they spent time together. During this period, Moran sexually assaulted Doe at his residence. In March 2023, Morgan and Doe began corresponding again and discussions involved Morgan providing Doe with alcohol in exchange for sexual conduct. Doe informed Morgan she was a juvenile, and Morgan instructed her not to disclose their relationship to anyone. Doe and Morgan did meet, but Doe left prior to engaging in sexual conduct with Morgan.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Zeno B. Baucus and Jacob A. Yerger are prosecuting the case. The FBI and Montana Division of Criminal Investigation conducted the investigation.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorney's Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.

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