A federal jury in Los Angeles convicted Elias Shabazz on June 26, 2026, on one count of sex trafficking by force, fraud, or coercion following a trial in the United States District Court for the Central District of California [1]. Prosecutors from the Department of Justice Criminal Division's Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section and the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Central District of California jointly handled the government's case [1]. The jury acquitted Shabazz on a second count, coercing or enticing interstate transportation for purposes of prostitution [1].
The government's case centered on allegations that Shabazz used physical force and psychological coercion to traffic a victim [1]. The mixed verdict, conviction on the trafficking count and acquittal on the interstate transportation count, reflects the jury's differentiated assessment of the two charges [1]. No defense counsel information has been publicly disclosed.
Shabazz faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years and a maximum of life in prison on the sex trafficking conviction [1]. No sentencing date has been publicly announced. The sentencing range signals the severity with which federal law treats trafficking offenses that involve force or coercion, rather than the lesser-penalty provisions that apply to trafficking by other means.
Post-trial motions and any appeal timeline have not been reported. Given the acquittal on the second count, defense counsel may argue at sentencing that the jury's verdict reflects a narrower finding of culpability, though the mandatory minimum constrains judicial discretion on the convicted count.