An East Bay man who sex trafficked minors pleaded guilty to two counts in Fresno federal court on Monday.

Darnell Bernard Edwards, 33, of Antioch, faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years in prison when he is sentenced on March 20 by U.S. District Judge Ana de Alba.

According to court documents, in April and May 2019, Edwards transported two minors to the Desert Star Motel in Bakersfield for prostitution. Edwards also took the minors to other California cities and supplied them with marijuana. Edwards and his victims all had the letter D and a crown tattooed on their bodies.

Edwards’ arrest followed an investigation by the FBI, Homeland Security Investigations, and the Bakersfield Police Department with assistance from Antioch police. U.S. Attorney David Gappa is the prosecutor.

Help for Trafficking Victims

Help is available for anyone being trafficked.

In the Fresno area, contact Central Valley Against Human Trafficking’s 24/7 trauma response line: (559) 500-7630, the National Human Trafficking Hotline: (888) 373-7888, or text “HELP” to “BeFree” (233733).

Click here to read a human trafficking fact sheet.