Iowa Man Convicted of Sex Trafficking and Drug Distribution

A federal jury in the Southern District of Iowa convicted a Des Moines man today on charges related to sex trafficking and distribution of a controlled dangerous substance.

"Dave Shumpert preyed on vulnerable young women, using violence, drugs, and their fears of homelessness, to profit from their exploitation," said Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department's Criminal Division. "He even punched them in the face and grabbed their hair to coerce them to perform commercial sex acts. Human trafficking and preying on vulnerable victims have no place in our communities. This jury verdict will ensure that the defendant is separated from society once he is sentenced for these crimes."

"This case represents some of the most egregious forms of exploitation - using violence, threats, drugs and weaponized addiction to force vulnerable women into commercial sex," said Acting Special Agent in Charge Rick Sabatini of the Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Kansas City Field Office. "HSI is committed to investigating and dismantling criminal networks that profit from human trafficking and drug distribution. This conviction sends a clear message: those who prey on the vulnerable through brutality and coercion will be held accountable. We will continue to pursue justice for victims and ensure traffickers face the full consequences of their actions."

According to court documents, witness testimony, and evidence presented at trial, Dave Shumpert III, 30, of Des Moines, Iowa, aided by his co-defendant, Haley Morrison, 30, also of Des Moines, coerced three women to perform commercial sex acts using a combination of physical force, threats of force, a coercive debt scheme, withholding of drugs, and other threats of harm. Shumpert and Morrison targeted vulnerable young homeless women struggling with drug addiction, provided them with shelter and drugs, and then used violence and other coercive means to compel the women to engage in commercial sex. Shumpert and Morrison advertised the women online, set the prices for the commercial sex acts, communicated with the sex buyers, rented hotel rooms, and kept most of the proceeds of the commercial sex acts. Electronic communication evidence between Shumpert and Morrison demonstrated that Shumpert directed Morrison on how to manage and control the victims. One of the victims testified about the physical violence Morrison employed, such as hitting a victim with closed fists and dragging her by the hair. The victims explained their fear of homelessness, drug withdrawal, and of being indebted to Shumpert.

Shumpert kept up his coercive scheme even after being arrested, placing thousands of calls to Morrison to discuss his criminal commercial sex business, and even received over $32,000 on his commissary accounts from the victims' commercial sex proceeds. While incarcerated, Shumpert sought to intimidate and threaten a government witness by having someone outside of the jail post threatening messages on his social media accounts.

Morrison previously pled guilty to sex trafficking by force, fraud, and coercion on Nov. 25, 2025, and will be sentenced on July 7.

The jury convicted Shumpert of three counts of sex trafficking, conspiracy to commit sex trafficking, obstruction of a sex trafficking prosecution, distribution of a controlled dangerous substance to a person under 21, conspiracy to distribute a controlled dangerous substance, and interstate travel in aid of racketeering. A sentencing date has not been set. Shumpert faces a mandatory minimum penalty of 15 years in prison, and a maximum penalty of life in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

HSI is investigating the case with assistance from the Des Moines Police Department.

Trial Attorney Slava Kuperstein of the Criminal Division's Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Amy Jennings for the Southern District of Iowa are prosecuting the case.

Anyone who has information about human trafficking should report that information to the National Human Trafficking Hotline toll-free at 1-888-373-7888, which is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. For more information about human trafficking, please visit www.humantraffickinghotline.orgLinks to other government and non-government sites will typically appear with the "external link" icon to indicate that you are leaving the Department of Justice website when you click the link.. Information on the Justice Department's efforts to combat human trafficking can be found at www.justice.gov/humantrafficking.