A federal jury in the Southern District of Florida has convicted Shannima Yuantrell Session, also known as Shalamar, 47, of Lake Placid, Florida, on 13 charges related to sex trafficking nearly a dozen women and girls. The verdict follows a nine-day trial where evidence revealed Session's exploitation of vulnerable women and girls between 2011 and 2019 through coercion, violence, and manipulation.
Session lured victims with false promises of work and housing assistance, particularly targeting women struggling with unstable living conditions and substance abuse. Once under his control, Session forced the victims into commercial sex acts in places such as migrant housing and orange groves. In some cases, he withheld food and shelter to coerce compliance, while in others, he resorted to extreme violence, including physical assaults and threats with a firearm.
