October 24, 2016
Case # 15NF3017
ARKANSAS MAN CONVICTED AND SENTENCED TO TWO YEARS IN PRISON FOR ATTEMPTING TO PIMP WOMAN IN IRVINE
SANTA ANA, Calif. – An Arkansas man was convicted and sentenced to two years in state prison today for attempting to pimp a woman in Irvine. Matthew Alexander Rougely, 31, Jacksonville, Arkansas, pleaded guilty to one felony count of attempted pimping.
Circumstances of the Case
Between Oct. 30, 2015, and Nov. 5, 2015, Rougely posted sexually explicit advertisements of 19-year-old Jane Doe soliciting commercial sex on a website known for prostitution. The defendant drove the victim to locations in Orange County known for human trafficking and commercial sex for her to meet with sex purchasers.
At approximately 4:00 a.m. on Nov. 5, 2015, Rougely drove the victim to Irvine and parked at a Circle K gas station. A member of the Orange County Human Trafficking Task Force (OCHTTF) performed a routine check of the defendant’s vehicle. Rougely possessed evidence consistent with him attempting to pimp Jane Doe and was arrested at the scene.
Members of the OCHTTF and the Orange County District Attorney’s (OCDA) Office work proactively to protect women and minors from falling victim to commercial sexual exploitation. This case was investigated by the OCHTTF, a partnership between Anaheim Police Department, California Highway Patrol, Costa Mesa Police Department, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Huntington Beach Police Department, Irvine Police Department, Newport Beach Police Department, OCDA, Orange County Sheriff’s Department, Santa Ana Police Department, and community and non-profit partners.
Deputy District Attorney Brad Schoenleben of the HEAT Unit prosecuted this case.
Proposition 35 and HEAT
To read more about California’s anti-human trafficking Proposition 35 (Prop 35) and the OCDA’s Human Exploitation and Trafficking (HEAT) Unit, please visit www.orangecountyda.org and select Human Trafficking Information from the Media Center drop down menu.