Lame Deer woman sentenced to 6 years in prison for sex trafficking a child

BILLINGS - A Lame Deer woman who trafficked a child for sex was sentenced today to six years in prison, followed by five years of supervised release, Acting U.S. Attorney Mark Steger Smith said.

Veronica Clarice Baker, 31, pleaded guilty in July 2025 to one count of sex trafficking a minor.

U.S. District Judge Susan P. Watters presided.

The government alleged in court documents that in spring 2023, Baker met Dr. Usman Khan on a social media website for people interested in a commercial sex relationship. On April 9, 2023, Baker and Khan arranged a commercial sex date between Khan and an underage girl. Baker had known the girl for some time and knew she was a minor; the girl had, on occasion, watched Baker's children.

On April 9, 2023, while Baker and Khan were texting about Baker providing the girl for a commercial sex date, Baker and the girl were in a hotel room in Billings. Baker sent Khan pictures of her and of the girl, and she and Khan discussed rates. Ultimately, Baker agreed to take the girl to Khan's residence for the commercial sex date. Baker delivered the girl, and Khan had sex with her. Khan paid the girl for the encounter, and the girl provided some of the money to Baker.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Zeno Baucus prosecuted the case. The FBI conducted the investigation.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys' Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit Justice.gov/PSC.