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A 21-year-old Tulsa man pleaded guilty in federal court today to charges stemming from a sex trafficking operation conducted by Tulsa Police Department’s Vice Unit.

Joshua Harring, also known as “Maniack,”  pleaded guilty before United States District Court Judge John E. Dowdell to Child Sex Trafficking and Conspiracy to Engage in Child Sex Trafficking. A federal grand jury had previously returned a six-count Second Superseding Indictment in October 2016, charging Harring with conspiracy, child sex trafficking violations, obstruction of justice, and carrying a firearm during a crime of violence and drug trafficking crimes. Federal prosecutors claimed Harring was the head of a child sex trafficking venture that victimized at least three Tulsa teenagers. Prosecutors noted that Harring was the sixth defendant to admit his guilt in this case and related cases. Several of the co-conspirators had ties to the 52 Red Mob Gang, a Tulsa street gang.

In late December 2015, Harring conspired with his girlfriend, Morgan Palmer, and others to recruit girls under the age of 18 to perform commercial sex acts at various Tulsa motels. On January 4, 2016, Tulsa Police Department Vice Unit officers encountered a 16-year-old victim during an undercover operation in which TPD responded to an online advertisement. Officers identified and arrested Harring for his role in the sex trafficking operation.

Despite Harring’s arrest, Vice Unit officers determined from their investigation that the sex trafficking conspiracy was still ongoing and conducted a second undercover operation. On January 19, 2016, Vice Unit officers arrested Palmer, who had continued the child sex trafficking operation from her apartment  in midtown Tulsa. In total, officers identified three minors who had been victimized by Harring’s child sex trafficking venture. A fourth minor victim was identified in a related child sex trafficking operation.

Harring’s plea agreement sets forth an agreed upon sentence of twenty-two years in Federal prison, where parole has been abolished.  His sentencing hearing is set for May 11, 2017 at 10:00 a.m.

The Tulsa Police Department investigated this case with assistance from the Federal Bureau of Investigation.