BALTIMORE, MD—A Baltimore woman has been sentenced to prison for running a sex trafficking ring that operated across the state of Maryland.
Attorney General Anthony G. Brown on Monday announced the sentencing of Kenika Danielle Leach, 33, as a result of a multi-agency, two-year investigation was led by the Attorney General’s Organized Crime Unit.
On November 18, 2024, Leach pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit sex trafficking, distribution of a controlled dangerous substance–cocaine, and receiving the earnings of a prostitute before the Honorable Brett R. Wilson of the Circuit Court for Washington County. On February 26, 2025, Judge Wilson sentenced Leach to 15 years of active incarceration.
The investigation that led to Leach’s conviction began in December 2021, when local hospital personnel notified the Baltimore Police Department that a patient said Leach had sex trafficked her from Hagerstown to the Baltimore area. Soon thereafter, detectives contacted the Office of the Attorney General. By collaborating with partner agencies, including Homeland Security Investigations and the Maryland State Police, and reviewing large amounts of cell phone, social media, and financial records, the investigative team identified 10 additional women who had been trafficked by Leach from Hagerstown to hotels in Baltimore County and Anne Arundel County for the purpose of performing commercial sex acts.
Leach exploited the women by providing them drugs and then insisting they repay the “drug debts” by engaging in commercial sex acts. Leach also used physical violence to control and coerce the women and coerce into remaining obedient and loyal to her.
On February 26, 2025, Judge Wilson sentenced Leach to 40 years of incarceration, suspending all but 15 years, to be followed by five years of supervised probation. Judge Wilson also ordered that Leach have no contact with any of her victims.
“Today’s sentencing is a critical step toward justice for the survivors, but they will carry these wounds for the rest of their lives,” said Attorney General Brown. “I can only hope that this outcome brings some measure of closure so they can continue to heal and reclaim their lives. My Office is committed to holding traffickers accountable for the pain and suffering they inflict on our communities.”
“This investigation represents the dedication and relentless efforts of our officers in dismantling this human trafficking ring and bringing justice to the victims,” said Baltimore Police Commissioner Richard Worley. “We must send a clear message that we will not tolerate such heinous crimes in our city. I commend our investigators and all of the partner agencies for their commitment to ensuring safety and accountability, and our collective efforts to combat human trafficking.”
“Kenika Danielle Leach has more than earned every single day of her prison sentence, as she callously exploited vulnerable members of our local communities,” said ICE Homeland Security Investigations Baltimore Special Agent in Charge Michael McCarthy. “Through an unwavering partnership with our law enforcement allies, our agents have ensured that justice is served with this decisive sentence—one that we hope will finally bring a sense of closure to the countless victims of her despicable actions. Our office will continue to fight with unrelenting force to dismantle criminal activity wherever it hides.”
“This case is the result of intense collaboration between our hospital partners, local government, and law enforcement as part of the Blue Dot program where we train nurses and first responders on how to recognize the signs of human trafficking and connect survivors to quality services,” said Mayor’s Office of Neighborhood Safety and Engagement Human Trafficking and Sexual Assault Response Team Manager Thomas Stack. “We all have a shared commitment to addressing human trafficking in our communities. I want to thank BPD, Attorney General Brown, Homeland Security, regional law enforcement partners, and everyone involved in dismantling this operation.”
Photo by Sora Shimazaki from Pexels
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