Former Alabama man pleads to sex trafficking in Pittsburgh

A man accused of bringing a woman from Alabama to Pittsburgh to prostitute her pleaded guilty in federal court on Friday to sex trafficking charges.

Anthony Juskowich, 23, who was living in Oakland at the time of his arrest, faces a mandatory prison term of at least 15 years.

He will be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Christy Wiegand on June 2.

According to Assistant U.S. Attorney Rebecca Silinski, Juskowich was arrested following an undercover operation at a hotel in Moon Township. On May 13, 2020, agents visited a website advertising sex acts with a “beautiful southern belle” for $60. They scheduled a “date” with her for the next day.

When they arrived at the hotel, they identified themselves as law enforcement to the victim.

That same day, Juskowich was stopped by investigators on an outstanding warrant. He told them first that the victim, identified as “Anna” was his girlfriend. He later admitted that she was having sex with men for money.

Juskowich said that he drove her to and from the hotel for her dates and that he kept her money safe.

“Juskowich continued to talk about how he has Anna working making all this money for him and pointed out that he was wearing a $700 Louis Vuitton belt paid for by money made by [her],” Silinski said.

In reviewing text messages between Juskowich and the victim, agents found evidence that he was trafficking her for sex.

In one exchange, from April 24, 2020, she messaged him, “‘I’ve made 400 and I’m out of condoms, so can I just chill for the rest of the night?’”

Juskowich responded, “Is it 3K yet?’”

After she used an expletive in response, he wrote, “correct how you talk to me that’s bout to change on god. There’s goals to make. I’m out doing my plays you don’t stop? I’ve been given you plenty of time off… It’s time [expletive] work so work.”

Hotel records showed that Juskowich rented at least one room in the woman’s name 25 times between March 5 and May 15, 2020.

Silinski told the court that Juskowich met “Anna” in Alabama, where they both were living, in December 2019. He approached her about making money through prostitution. The deal was that he would manage her dates and provide security, the prosecution said, and they were to split the money 50/50.

They tried to expand their business into Alabama and Georgia, but when that failed, Silinski said, in February 2020, they came to Pittsburgh “where Juskowich knew the prostitution scene.”

Juskowich told the victim that they could save money she earned and buy a fast-food franchise so she could stop working as a prostitute. He told her she would have to work from March through September, at which time he said they’d have $25,000 saved for the franchise.

However, once they were in Pittsburgh, Silinski said, the conditions for the victim changed. Juskowich told her she had to earn $500 a night before she could return home and set a weekly goal. He did not allow her to keep any of the money she earned and would instead give her what she needed for groceries and other basic necessities, Silinski said.

When investigators asked the woman how much money she thought should have been locked in the safe Juskowich kept, she estimated between $7,000 and $8,000. When they opened it, there was only $1,000, Silinski said.

In addition to the Louis Vuitton belt Juskowich was wearing when he was arrested, he was wearing Gucci slides.

Silinski said that witnesses told investigators that Juskowich used force on the woman to compel her to continue to sell sex acts and that she could not do anything without his permission.