Northeast News

June 14, 2016

KANSAS CITY, Missouri – 18-year-old Kansas City woman Jessi C. Larkie was charged last week with two counts of Sexual Trafficking of a Child Under Age 18 Years, for allegedly negotiating commercial sex acts with paying male customers on behalf of two minors along Independence Avenue.

The alleged crimes, committed by Larkie against minors aged 17 and 15, took place between March 1, 2016 and May 13, 2016.

Larkie initially befriended the first victim, known as JUVENILE 1 in the Jackson County Prosecutor’s Office probable cause statement, on Facebook. Eventually, Larkie asked him/her to become her roommate. When JUVENILE 1 arrived at the residence, they found Larkie there along with her boyfriend, Darnell Williams. JUVENILE 1 later told authorities that they couldn’t find work because he/she didn’t have their social security card. After roughly a week of living at the apartment, Larkie suggested that JUVENILE 1 could make some money by working as a prostitute along Independence Avenue in the Historic Northeast.

Larkie instructed JUVENILE 1 to stand near the corner of S. Jackson and Independence Avenue and “look cute”; Larkie was responsible for negotiating with potential clients. The sex acts would be performed in the car, at a hotel, or at Larkie’s apartment. JUVENILE 1 would hand the money directly to Larkie, who would later split the cash with Darnell Williams. JUVENILE 1 further stated that both Larkie and Williams abused him/her, and estimated that he/she committed 80-90 sex acts at Larkie’s direction.

Larkie met then 14-year-old runaway JUVENILE 2 through a mutual friend in the spring of 2015, when Larkie allowed JUVENILE 2 to stay with her. On May 10, 2016, JUVENILE 2 ran away from his/her foster home in Overland Park, Kansas. By then, JUVENILE 1 and JUVENILE 2 had begun communicating by phone. JUVENILE 1 warned JUVENILE 2 that Larkie has subjected him/her to prostitution. JUVENILE 2 asked Larkie if he/she would be subjected to the same if he/she came and stayed with Larkie, and the answer was no. But when Larkie drove out to Overland Park to pick up JUVENILE 2, she informed him/her that they would be required to work as a prostitute. That day JUVENILE 2 performed three sex acts for money, which was collected by Larkie and split with Williams.

Authorities first interviewed JUVENILE 1 on May 24, 2016, during which time JUVENILE 1 informed them that Larkie and Williams kept a ledger in their apartment of all money earned through illicit activities. Corroborating evidence from JUVENILE 2 was subsequently gathered, leading to charges being filed against Larkie.