Jacksonville man sentenced for charges related to human trafficking
Detectives say Zakariya Clarke maintained control of his victims through threats of violence and by withholding drugs they were addicted to.
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — A Jacksonville man will spend the next 25 years behind bars after changing his plea to guilty for charges related to human trafficking.
State Attorney Melissa Nelson announced this week that Zakariya Clarke pleaded guilty to attempted first-degree murder and four counts of coercing commercial sexual activity for human trafficking.
Per terms of the plea agreement, Clarke was sentenced to 25 years in Florida State Prison by the Honorable Tatiana Salvador. He is also designated a sex offender.
In Sept. 2022, State Attorney's Office investigators who specialize in human trafficking began investigating Clarke for sex trafficking based on evidence uncovered in a previous unrelated case. The State's investigation revealed Clarke used multiple Facebook accounts to communicate with victims he sex trafficked from January to December 2020.
Detectives say Clarke maintained control of his victims through threats of violence and force, and by withholding drugs they were addicted to after he introduced them to the narcotics.
On May 8, 2020, officials say Clarke attempted to murder one of the victims who escaped his control. He found out the victim was staying at a Westside motel, went to the business, lured her out of the room, and beat and stabbed her.
The victim was initially afraid to provide information to law enforcement for fear of retribution from Clarke, and only did so after continued State efforts.
“This defendant used violence to control his victims while he profited from their suffering. This outcome is an example of great investigative work by our team,” said State Attorney Melissa Nelson. The case was investigated by the State Attorney's Office and was prosecuted by Chief Assistant State Attorney L.E. Hutton.
*No mug shot was immediately available.
This “Eyes on Trafficking” story is reprinted from its original online location.
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EYES ON TRAFFICKING
This “Eyes on Trafficking” story is reprinted from its original online location.
ABOUT PBJ LEARNING
PBJ Learning is a leading provider of online human trafficking training, focusing on awareness and prevention education. Their interactive Human Trafficking Essentials online course is used worldwide to educate professionals and individuals how to recognize human trafficking and how to respond to potential victims. Learn on any web browser (even your mobile phone) at any time.
More stories like this can be found in your PBJ Learning Knowledge Vault.