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Dallas man who used ‘grotesque violence’ against women sentenced for sex trafficking

A Dallas man who in April pleaded guilty to sex trafficking through force, fraud and coercion has been sentenced to 20 years in prison followed by a lifetime of supervised release for human trafficking, according to a news release from the U.S. Department of Justice.

Tremont “Macknificent” Blakemore, 43, was first charged in September 2019. Along with the 20-year sentence, Blakemore was ordered to turn over several Rolex watches, diamond and gold jewelry and several trophies, including one with the engraving “Playa of the Year,” to the federal government.

“This defendant systematically brutalized his victims, convincing them that they had no choice but to live life according to his dictates,” U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Chad Meacham said in the news release. “We hope that today’s sentence will be a balm to survivors as they work to rebuild their lives.”

Blakemore admitted in plea papers to operating a large-scale human trafficking organization and using the threat of “grotesque violence” to force women to engage in commercial sex acts for his financial gain, according to the Justice Department. He forced the women to travel cross country and posted ads for them on sites like Backpage.com. He demanded the women turn over all the money to him and ask his permission for using any money for themselves.

Blakemore admitted that if any of the women didn’t obey his “rules,” doing things such as leaving the house without his permission or keeping any money for themselves, he would use violence to make them submit, according to the Justice Department. Victims told law enforcement that Blakemore slapped, punched, kicked, choked and burned them with cigarettes.

“I’m going to make an example out of someone soon,” he wrote in a group text message to victims, according to the news release. “I will not continue to tolerate disrespect that’s one of my biggest pet peeves.”

Blakemore admitted to using the money he took from his victims after their sexual encounters to buy luxury items for himself, including the jewelry and Rolex watches he has been ordered to turn over, according to the Justice Department. He purchased himself trophies to brag about his success as a “pimp,” according to the news release.

“Tremont Blakemore can no longer flaunt a life of luxury through the proceeds he illegally garnered by forcing women into the commercial sex trade industry thanks to the work of our special agents and law enforcement partners of the North Texas Trafficking Task Force who investigated and arrested this violent criminal,” HSI Dallas Special Agent in Charge Lester R. Hayes Jr. said in the news release.