Former Alabama man pleads to sex trafficking in Pittsburgh

A man accused of bringing a woman from Alabama to Pittsburgh for prostitution 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 sentence 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, officers 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 arrested by investigators on an outstanding warrant. He first told them that the victim, identified as “Anna” was his girlfriend. He later admitted that she had sex with men for money.

Juskowich said he drove her to the hotel for her appointments and kept her money safe.

“Juskowich went on to talk about how Anna worked to earn all that money for him and pointed out that he was wearing a $700 Louis Vuitton belt paid for by the money earned by [her]“said Silinski.

While reviewing text messages between Juskowich and the victim, officers found evidence he was trafficking her for sex.

In an exchange, from April 24, 2020, she messaged him: “”I’ve done 400 and I’m out of condoms so can I just relax for the rest of the night ? “”

Juskowich replied, “Is it 3K already?”

After using a swear word in response, he wrote, “correct the way you talk to me, it’s about to change on God. There are goals to achieve. I’m doing my parts, don’t you stop? I gave you a lot of free time… It’s time [expletive] work then work.

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

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

They tried to expand 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 she could save the money she earned and buy a fast food franchise so she could quit prostitution. He told her she would have to work from March until September, by which time he said they would have saved $25,000 for the franchise.

However, once in Pittsburgh, Silinski said, the victim’s conditions changed. Juskowich told her she needed to earn $500 a night before she could go home and set a weekly goal. He didn’t allow her to keep the money she earned and instead gave her what she needed for groceries and other basic necessities, Silinski said.

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

In addition to the Louis Vuitton belt that Juskowich wore during his arrest, he wore Gucci slides.

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