Gladewater Man Held on Sex Trafficking Charge

DALLAS (AP/STAFF) — Two men have been taken into federal custody on charges of trafficking a Texas middle-school student for sex. Federal prosecutors in Dallas said in a statement Thursday that Shenandoah West Moneypenny, 34, of Gladewater, and Shawn Dale Sanders, 43, of Dallas, each face one federal count of conspiracy to use a minor to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing a visual depiction of such conduct. The 13-year-old victim told law enforcement she met Moneypenny online earlier this year. Using a Craigslist ad, Moneypenny arranged for the girl to have sex with men, including Sanders, who sent pictures to Moneypenny as payment. The two were arrested December 18 and are being held at the Kaufman County jail without bond.

According to a news release from the U.S. Attorney’s office in Dallas, a family member of the 13-year-old girl contacted a Garland Independent School District School Resource Officer after finding communications on the girl’s laptop computer. It was between the girl and men. The computer and her cell phone were brought to the school resource officer, who previewed the devices and observed sexually explicit communications.

The girl said she had sexual contact with up to four men who she met online. When asked how she came to communicate with these men, she said she met a man online named “Aiden” and he put her in contact with other the men. Aiden, who was later identified as Moneypenny, began to set up in-person meetings for her through Craigslist advertisements that he placed. These advertisements sought men to meet the girl for sex. Responses to the Craigslist ads went directly to Moneypenny’s email account and, once he determined the responder was safe for the girl to meet, Moneypenny provided her with their contact information.

Moneypenny received a total of 219 replies to the Craigslist advertisement, including Sanders reply.