October 23, 09

NEWS / Little Rock Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Sex Trafficking and Related Charges

WASHINGTON – Tommy Handy, aka "Tom Tom," waived indictment and pleaded guilty in federal court in Little Rock, Ark., to a federal charge of sex trafficking of an underage female, announced Thomas E. Perez, Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Rights Division, Jane W. Duke, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas, and Thomas J. Browne, Special Agent in Charge of the Little Rock Field Office of the FBI.

Handy, 45, admitted during the hearing that he knew an underage female with the initials of "DB" was between the ages of 14 and 18 when she was caused to engage in commercial sex acts and that Handy benefitted from her engaging in the commercial sex acts. According to the plea agreement, the pending indictment was dismissed upon the court’s acceptance of Handy’s plea to the sex trafficking charge. As a result of his plea, Handy could be sentenced to a minimum of 10 years and up to life in prison. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled by the court. Handy remains in custody pending his sentencing.

Handy’s co-defendant, Everett Cooney, who is also in custody, also pleaded guilty to this charge on July 10, 2009, and is awaiting sentencing.

http://www.usdoj.gov/opa/pr/2009/October/09-crt-1147.html