A Texas Inmate was Sentenced to 10 Years’ Imprisonment for Attempting to Sex Traffick a Female Victim from Utah

ST. GEORGE, Utah - A Houston, Texas, inmate was sentenced to 120 months' imprisonment today and a lifetime of supervised release after he attempted through threats and intimidation from behind bars to transport a victim from Utah to Texas to engage in prostitution while receiving the proceeds.

The sentence, imposed by U.S. District Court Judge Ann Marie McIff Allen comes after Aaron Kern, most recently of St. George, Utah, pleaded guilty on December 8, 2025, to attempted transportation for purposes of prostitution.

According to court documents and statements made at Kern's change of plea and sentencing hearings, beginning on November 17. 2023, and continuing through December 4, 2024, Kern manipulated, intimidated and threatened his victim in an unrelenting effort to sex traffic her. His brazen efforts were recorded in jail calls, tablet visits, and text messaging. Over the course of a year, Kern contacted the victim over 1,800 times by phone and tablet. Kern developed a relationship with the victim and attempted to recruit the victim to prostitution and collect the proceeds. Kern claimed that the victim owed him money from all of the phone calls and tablet visits (he estimated it to be $10,000) and that she needed to prostitute herself to reimburse him. Kern planned to traffic the victim in Utah and, upon his release, in Houston, Texas. When the victim expressed any hesitation, Kern threatened her and members of her family with violence. On one occasion he told the victim "You are going to have a lot of days where you are drinking through a straw."

During the investigation, law enforcement found an online prostitution advertisement that Kern dictated and ordered the victim to place. In Kern's jail cell, investigators also found a handwritten contract that he wanted the victim to sign as well as handwritten notes and journal entries describing how he needed to break the victim down.

"Kern has a long and violent history of abusing women. His latest offense demonstrates that he continues to pose a serious threat to the community - especially to women - even while incarcerated," said U.S. Attorney Melissa Holyoak for the District of Utah. "Individuals like Kern must remain in custody to prevent further harm to victims, their families, and the broader community."

The case was investigated by the Washington County Drug/Gang Task Force.

Assistant United States Attorney Christopher Burton of The U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Utah prosecuted the case.