WI Jury Finds Waukesha Man Guilty Of Sex Trafficking By Force

WAUKESHA, WI — A Wisconsin jury on Wednesday found a 34-year-old Waukesha man guilty of sex trafficking by force and conspiracy to engage in sex trafficking.

Cornelius Jackson faces a possible maximum sentence of life in prison and a mandatory minimum of 15 years of imprisonment. Jackson must also register as a sex offender for the duration of his life.

According to authorities, between 2014 and 2020, Jackson used force and fraud to compel women to engage in commercial sex acts in cities and states across the country, including in Waukesha, Green Bay, Milwaukee, Minnesota, North Dakota, and Ohio.

Jackson recruited his victims through dating apps and social media, investigators said. According to the U.S. Attorney's Office, all the victims testified that Jackson kept and controlled all of the money they made, and that used violence to ensure they all continued to comply with his demands.

The victims also testified that Jackson strangled them and that they each saw him strangle other women, according to authorities.

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Wisconsin Department of Justice, Division of Criminal Investigation with the assistance of the Waukesha Police Department, Milwaukee Police Department, Ashwaubenon Public Safety Department, and Oneida Police Department.