Prosecuting Buyers in Human Trafficking Cases: An Analysis of the Implications of United States v. Jungers and United States v. Bonestroo

Author: Nichols, Andrea & Heil, Erin

Abstract: This article provides a review and analysis of United States v. Jungers and United States v. Bonestroo, important court cases providing precedent for charging buyers of sex as traffickers in cases involving minors. The decisions in these court cases, and in subsequent cases, further solidify the presence of enddemand efforts in the form of prosecution. Yet, the decisions in these cases raise additional questions about their implications for state-level prosecution, the prosecution of buyers in cases involving adults who experience sex trafficking, and the buyers of trafficked labor. Drawing from an analysis of relevant cases, this article analyzes the impact of United States v. Jungers and United States v. Bonestroo on subsequent cases, and argues for the potential of such cases to impact prosecution efforts in other facets of human trafficking.

Keywords: United States, prosecution, demand, buyers, johns, sex trafficking, labor trafficking, human trafficking