A woman in West Virginia agreed to hand over her 17-year-old female relative to be raped by a local police chief in exchange for modest cash payments, federal prosecutors claimed this week.
On two separate occasions last June, 28-year-old Kristen Naylor-Legg agreed to provide her female relative, a minor, to former Gauley Bridge Police Department Chief Larry Allen Clay Jr. so that he could have sexual intercourse with her, the Justice Department said in a press release.
According to court documents and statements, Naylor-Legg admitted that on the first occasion, Clay paid her $100 for fulfilling her end of the arrangement. On the second occasion, Clay agreed to pay her $50 but ultimately never gave her the money.
The Justice Department reported that Naylor-Legg pleaded guilty on Wednesday on the charge of conspiracy to engage in sex trafficking of a minor under the age of 18. She now faces up to life in prison during her sentencing and will need to register as a sex offender.
Clay, who also worked as an employee of the Fayette County Sheriff’s Department, has been charged with conspiracy to engage in sex trafficking of a minor via coercion and sex trafficking of a minor via coercion, the press release stated. His trial is scheduled for November.
In charging documents, prosecutors allege that Clay was well aware of the minor’s age because he and Naylor-Legg had discussed the girl’s upcoming birthday, the Washington Post reported.
Naylor-Legg allegedly sent photos of the girl’s naked body to Clay prior to the encounter. Then in June, she agreed to bring the minor to a rendezvous spot. Clay arrived in a police vehicle and wearing his uniform. He allegedly made the girl perform oral sex on him before raping her on top of the police vehicle while Naylor-Legg was present.
On the second occasion, the three allegedly met at a police substation inside a city-owned community center. Investigators later found DNA evidence from both Clay and the minor present inside the substation.
The Post added that Clay and Naylor-Legg were also engaging in sexual intercourse and that one time, after being caught, they attempted to coax a minor into joining them. Clay reportedly sought to make similar arrangements for at least one other officer in the area.
Prosecutors argue that Clay should bear the full weight of responsibility for his crimes, given that he abused his position of power and authority to hurt a child.
Sex trafficking arrest brings awareness to growing problem in Fayette County
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