CHEEKTOWAGA, N.Y. — A Cheektowaga man will spend the next 30 years behind bars after he was convicted of sex trafficking by coercion.
James Fox, 40, used drugs such as heroin and crack cocaine to keep his victims dependent, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office. At least six people were victimized over the course of four years.
“With the sentencing of James Fox, we have removed one of the most degenerate predators from our community. HSI Buffalo special agents are committed to pursuing anyone engaged in human trafficking and the many heinous crimes that often accompany trafficking," Matthew Scarpino, the Homeland Security Investigations Buffalo Special-Agent-in Charge, said in a statement Thursday.
The actions for which Fox was charged happened between 2018 and 2021. U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross said Fox used "administered four doses of Narcan" on at least one occasion when the victim had a heroin overdose.
Fox also received 15 years supervised release following the completion of his prison sentence. The U.S. District judge also ordered Fox to give up his Beach Road residence, a shotgun, and ammunition as part of his sentence.
“The victims in this case, who were dealing with addictions to opioids and cocaine, were taken advantage of by this defendant, who weaponized their addictions for his personal gain,” Ross said in a statement. “The result of this prosecution, and the resulting 30-year prison sentence, demonstrates the seriousness of human trafficking crimes and the fact that my office will continue to prosecute these types of crime to the fullest extent of the law.”