SeaTac man pleads guilty to sex trafficking; Kent Police initiated case

A SeaTac man pleaded guilty Friday to sex trafficking through force, fraud and coercion in connection with a case initially investigated by the Kent Police.

Ronnie Leon Tramble, 29, entered the plea in U.S. District Court in Seattle, according to a U.S. Attorney's Office media release.

Under terms of a plea agreement, prosecutors and the defense will recommend a prison sentence of 15 years. Tramble is scheduled to be sentenced March 16 by U.S. District Judge ohn C. Coughenour.

According to the plea agreement, Tramble coerced or forced more than five women to work for him as prostitutes. Some of the victims were under the age of 18. The plea agreement details how Tramble recruited one victim, and forced her to work as a prostitute with threats and violence. He repeatedly beat the victim, and forced her to give her prostitution earnings to him.

Tramble was charged federally in August.

He first came to the attention of law enforcement in 2010 when Kent Police officers encountered a juvenile female working as a prostitute. The girl told police how Tramble beat and coerced her, and how he advertised her as a prostitute on Backpage.com. Further investigation by law enforcement revealed that Tramble forced numerous women to work for him as prostitutes.

Under the terms of the plea agreement, Tramble will have to register as a sex offender. Prosecutors will ask that he be placed on 15 years of federal supervised release following his prison term.

The FBI’s Innocence Lost Task Force investigated the case. The task force includes local, state and federal law enforcement officers who investigate juvenile prostitution. Kent Police are part of the task force.

Contact Kent Reporter Courts, government reporter Steve Hunter at shunter@kentreporter.com or 253-872-6600, ext. 5052.

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