(WSPA) – A Newberry man and a Greenville woman were indicted on ten counts of sex trafficking, among other charges, by a federal grand jury.

According to the United States Department of Justice, Eric Rashun Jones, 32, of Newberry was charged with:

  • Felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition
  • Human trafficking conspiracy
  • Five counts of sex trafficking by force, fraud and coercion
  • Three counts of witness tampering

Brittany Danielle Cromer, 33, of Greenville, was also indicted on human trafficking conspiracy charges as a co-conspirator.

The indictment alleges that Jones and Cromer “recruited, enticed, harbored, transported, and sex trafficked at least five victims by force, fraud, or coercion” between 2018 and 2022. The indictment also states that Jones told victims and witnesses not to talk to authorities.

Both face a maximum sentence of life in prison.

Jones was a fugitive from state law enforcement from 2019 until his arrest in March of this year, the DOJ said. Jones is currently being held at the Barnwell County Detention Center.

The following is a statement from the DOJ, detailing some of the evidence heard in court:

Evidence presented in Court also indicated that Jones recruited vulnerable women and obtained commercial sex from victims for his financial benefit by means of physical and sexual violence, by manipulating victims’ drug withdrawal symptoms, and by threats and fraud. Evidence was presented that some victims were tattooed with a reference to Jones’s name. Evidence also indicated that Jones threatened violence and retaliation if victims or witnesses cooperated with law enforcement.

The United State Department of Justice

Cromer was granted bond pending a trial. She was initially booked into the Sumter County Detention Center.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Greenville Police Department, Newberry County Sheriff’s Office, Newberry Police Department, Lexington County Sheriff’s Department, and Simpsonville Police Department assisted with the investigation.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Elliott B. Daniels and Elle E. Klein are prosecuting the case.