PANAMA CITY — Jacobo Feliciano-Francisco was sentenced in United States District Court on Wednesday to life in prison after he was convicted of kidnapping, retaliating against a witness, conspiracy, and transportation and of an individual in interstate commerce for prostitution, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida Pamela C. Marsh announced.
The victim had previously cooperated with the FBI after being forced and coerced by others to work as a prostitute between 2009 and 2011. Due to that cooperation, a total of 13 individuals were convicted in Tennessee and Kentucky of various federal sex-trafficking and prostitution criminal charges. Following her cooperation with law enforcement, the victim and her family were relocated to Panama City Beach out of concern for their safety.
In retaliation for her cooperation as a prior Federal witness, Feliciano-Francisco and others tracked down her location, repeatedly threatened the physical safety of both her and her family, kidnapped her, and transported her to a brothel in Hattiesburg, Miss., with the intent that she would be forced back into prostitution, a press release stated.
During her kidnapping, Feliciano-Francisco, 32, not only verbally threatened and intimidated the victim, but he physically terrorized and humiliated her when he sexually assaulted her, the press release said. After arriving in Hattiesburg, the victim escaped Feliciano-Francisco and led police back to the brothel where he was arrested.
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