May 18, 2018 - Officials said a Salem man was sentenced yesterday on a federal sex-trafficking charge.
They said Shawn Paul Paisley is believed to have enticed at 15-year-old girl to engage in prostitution while actually communicating online with an undercover Franklin County Sheriff's Deputy.
The U.S. District Court in Roanoke sentenced Paisley to 96 months (eight years) in prison. They said he previously pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit sex trafficking.
Officials said, in August of 2016, while posing as a 15-year-old female, a Franklin County Sheriff’s Deputy responded to a Craigslist advertisement posted by Paisley seeking a “personal/casual” encounter.
Paisley gave the “female minor” a cell phone number and the two exchanged text messages. During the course of their text message exchanges, Paisley told the “female minor” that he ran an escort service and that his girls made good money.
According to officials, Paisley provided standard prices for the services the escorts offered and the two arranged to meet in order for the “female minor” to perform oral sex on him.
They said Paisley left his home in Salem, Virginia and drove to Franklin County to meet the “minor female.” When Paisley arrived, he was arrested.
Additional information HERE from ABC-13 WSET.