Antioch Man Pleads No Contest to Human Trafficking a Minor, Faces Life as Registered Sex Offender

Marcus Carter, a 41-year-old resident of Antioch, has pleaded no contest to a felony charge of human trafficking a minor for purposes of commercial sex acts, according to the Monterey County District Attorney’s Office. This conviction marks another “strike” under California law for Carter, who will now be required to register as a sex offender for the rest of his life. He is set to be sentenced to 24 years in state prison on September 4.

The case came to light on April 10, 2021, when a 13-year-old girl, identified as Jane Doe, managed to escape and seek help at a gas station on Kern Street in Salinas. Officer Johnathan Tuiolosgea of the Salinas Police Department responded to her distress call and observed her injuries, including two black eyes and a swollen jaw.

Jane Doe disclosed that Carter had abducted her from Stockton and forced her into engaging in commercial sex acts with buyers across various cities in California, as well as in Reno, Nevada. The police investigation corroborated her account, revealing that she had been taken on April 3, 2021, and subjected to sexual exploitation in Antioch, Pittsburgh, San Jose, Salinas, Reno, and other unidentified locations.

Providing crucial support throughout the process was Alma Sanchez, the Victim Witness Program Manager. Her assistance ensured that Jane Doe received the necessary care and guidance.

Carter’s arrest took place when the police located one of the vehicles described by Jane Doe, with Carter inside. The evidence collected from Jane Doe, local motels, Carter’s associates, the described vehicles, and Carter himself, including his cell phone activity, further substantiated Jane Doe’s harrowing ordeal.