Wisconsin man nicknamed 'Bin Laden' sentenced to 45 years for sex trafficking
Dec 18, 2024
MILWAUKEE, Wis. (WFRV) — A 53-year-old Wisconsin man, known by the nickname 'Bin Laden,' has been sentenced to 45 years in federal prison for sex trafficking.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Wisconsin announced that Samuel L. Spencer of Milwaukee was convicted at trial of four counts of sex trafficking by force, fraud, or coercion, and conspiracy to commit sex trafficking. He will also serve five years of supervised release.
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Evidence presented at trial revealed that Spencer, a drug dealer, exploited women struggling with addiction, coercing them into commercial sex acts to generate income for him. He manipulated his victims by providing or withholding cocaine and heroin, depriving them of basic needs like sleep and food, and inflicting extreme physical violence.
The violence included strangulation, whipping with belts, burning, and even kidnapping a woman by locking her in the trunk of his car when she tried to escape.
During the two-week trial, prosecutors introduced evidence, including Spencer’s own words boasting about his crimes and threatening his victims with harm.
At sentencing, Chief U.S. Judge Pamela Pepper described Spencer’s 15-year reign of terror as nearly incomprehensible, emphasizing the severe violence and impact on his victims. Judge Pepper stated Spencer used “force, threats, violence – and sometimes all three” to strip his victims of their autonomy.
“For more than 15 years, Samuel Spencer used violence, threats, forms of torture, manipulation, and financial control to coerce his victims to engage in commercial sex acts for one purpose – to make as much money for him as possible,” said U.S. Attorney Gregory Haanstad.
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Special Agent in Charge Michael Hensle of the FBI Milwaukee Field Office added, “The lengthy sentence issued by the court reflects the heinous nature of these crimes and that behavior of this type will be investigated and prosecuted to the full extent of the law.”
No additional details were provided.