El Cajon Man Sentenced to 10 Years for Conspiracy to Sex Traffic 15-Year-Old Girl

SAN DIEGO - Samuel Melvin Cooper of El Cajon was sentenced in federal court today to 121 months in prison for directing a 15-year-old girl to perform commercial sex acts for his financial benefit in San Diego, Phoenix and Tucson.

Cooper pleaded guilty on October 14, 2025, to one count of Conspiracy to Commit Sex Trafficking through Force, Fraud or Coercion. According to his plea agreement, Cooper was arrested in September 2024 by San Diego Police detectives during a traffic stop in an area known for street-based prostitution. Police discovered Cooper was tracking locations of two female teens, ages 15 and 18, on a cell phone application - a common method used by pimps to track the location of commercial sex victims under their control.

The case was further investigated by the San Diego Human Trafficking Task Force. The investigation revealed that Cooper had traveled by car with the 15-year-old to Arizona for the purpose of commercial sex work for Cooper's financial benefit. Text messages revealed that Cooper intended to leave the 15-year-old victim stranded in Arizona if she did not make enough money through commercial sex work.

According to his plea agreement, Cooper admitted he also exploited another 15-year-old girl by directing her to engage in commercial sex for Cooper's financial benefit. Sexually explicit videos and photographs of Cooper engaged in sexually explicit conduct with this second minor were recovered. Cooper was aware of the minor's age as her date of birth, including the year, was Cooper's unlock code for his cell phone.

"We won't allow children to be bought and sold," said U.S. Attorney Adam Gordon. "This sentence reflects the profound harm caused when predators exploit minors for profit."

"Let this sentence stand as a clear and stern warning; there is no refuge for those who exploit or abuse children. I am proud of our Human Trafficking Task Force that investigated this case to ensure that Cooper would be held fully accountable," said California Attorney General Rob Bonta. "Although nothing can undo the pain the victim has endured, we hope this sentence offers a measure of closure and a sense that justice has been served. My office will continue to pursue justice relentlessly, support survivors every step of the way, and diligently investigate these crimes. Above all, we remain steadfast in our commitment to protect the children of California and ensure they can grow up safe, supported, and free from harm."

In the government's sentencing memo, prosecutors noted that when San Diego Human Trafficking Task Force officers tried to interview the first 15-year-old victim after the defendant's arrest, she was crying hysterically, denied any involvement in prostitution and refused to cooperate with the investigation. The victim's mother has written a victim-impact statement to the court about how the girl is still a runaway and lost to her and her family. "That letter speaks more powerfully to the lasting trauma of living on the streets and being conditioned at such a young age that your worth is tied to commercial sex than any attorney can capture in words," the government's memo said.

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Derek Ko and Lyndzie M. Carter.

If you believe you or someone you know has been a victim of human trafficking, investigators ask that you contact the San Diego Human Trafficking Task Force at 1-888-373-7888 or text 233733.

DEFENDANT Case Number 24cr2623-JO

Samuel Melvin Cooper Age: 21 El Cajon, CA

SUMMARY OF CHARGES

Conspiracy to Commit Sex Trafficking by Force/Coercion, 18 U.S.C., Section 1594(c)

Maximum penalty: Life imprisonment; $250,000 fine

INVESTIGATING AGENCIES

San Diego Human Trafficking Task Force

San Diego Police Department

Homeland Security Investigations

The San Diego Human Trafficking Task Force is a cooperative effort involving the California Department of Justice, California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, California Highway Patrol, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Homeland Security Investigations, National City Police Department, Naval Criminal Investigative Service, San Diego City Attorney's Office, San Diego County District Attorney's Office, San Diego County Probation Department, San Diego County Sheriff's Department, San Diego Police Department, Southwest Border High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area, and the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of California.

This case is the result of the ongoing efforts of the Special Victims Unit. Formed in April 2025, the SVU is tasked with leading collaborations between federal and local law enforcement in the investigation and prosecution of cases involving sex trafficking and child exploitation, civil rights, and labor trafficking. The SVU oversees the Southern District of California liaisons to the San Diego Human Trafficking Task Force and Project Safe Childhood