AG Moody: ‘Monster’ Gang Member Sentenced to Prison After Trafficking Young Girl

Published May. 31, 2022, 1:44 p.m. ET | Updated May. 31, 2022

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May 31, 2022 Updated 1:45 P.M. ET

TALLAHASSEE (FLV) – Attorney General Ashley Moody announced a known gang member was convicted of trafficking a young girl in Florida. 

“This monster exploited a runaway teen, transported her hundreds of miles away and forced her into the underground world of sex trafficking and child pornography—all so he could make money off her misery,” Moody said. 

Michael Hill was sentenced to prison for 13 years after reportedly coercing a teenager to engage in car dates with paying customers and then took a cut of the profit. He also was reported to have used the victim to create child pornography. 

“Thankfully, Florida State Troopers rescued the victim and my Statewide Prosecutors worked to ensure this human trafficker will spend a long time in prison for his atrocious crimes,” Moody said. 

The case began when Hill reportedly fled the scene of a car crash. State Troopers say they found the female minor in the vehicle and learned that Hill transported the minor from South Florida to Okaloosa County to engage in sex work. 

The investigation also found that Miami-Dade Public school specialist Jessie Maguire Stebenne knew the victim performed at strip clubs and absconded from DCF custody.

Moody said Stebenne “blurred the lines” of a professional relationship between student and counselor. Stebenne pled to charges of failing to report child abuse, interference in custody and contributing to the delinquency of a minor.  

Hill is convicted of one count of human trafficking of a minor, a first-degree felony, and one count of production of child pornography, a third-degree felony.

“Child predators perpetrate evil against our most vulnerable and will always be a primary focus for HSI special agents. This predator is going to spend a significant amount of time behind bars thanks to the professional dedication of HIS, FDLE and the Florida Highway Patrol,” said K. Jim Phillips with Homeland Security Investigations.

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