Union man to be sentenced in September after pleading guilty to sex trafficking of a minor

JACKSON, Miss. (WDAM) - A 43-year-old Union man pleaded guilty in federal court Thursday to sex trafficking of a minor

The guilty plea submitted by Hubert Lee Horton was announced U.S. Attorney Darren J. LaMarca and Federal Bureau of Investigation Special Agent in Charge Jermicha Fomby.

According to court documents, Horton communicated with another individual by cell phone for the purpose of engaging in commercial sex with a minor.

Horton asked for and received images of the minor and negotiated the price that he would pay for various sexual acts.

Horton pleaded guilty to a violation of Title XVIII, United States Code, Section 1591(a)(1), which criminalizes the trafficking of a minor child for purposes of engaging in sexual intercourse for money.

Horton is scheduled to be sentenced on Sept. 1, and faces a minimum penalty of 10 years in prison and a maximum of life in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the United States sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors.

The Union Police Department, Mississippi Bureau of Investigations, and the FBI are investigating the case.

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