Human Trafficking Case Sentencing

Human Trafficker Convicted on Multiple Charges Sentenced to Twenty Years in Prison

The Washoe County District Attorney’s Office has announced that Khayree Ameen Saafir, age 28, has been sentenced to 20 years in prison on charges related to human trafficking. Saafir previously pled guilty to seven felonies, which included three counts of Pandering; two counts of Attempting to Bribe a Witness to Influence Testimony; one count of Possession of a Controlled Substance with Intent to Sell, second offense; and one count of Conspiracy to Violate the Uniform Controlled Substances Act, second offense. He was subsequently sentenced in Washoe County District Court on November 4, 2020, by the Honorable Barry Breslow to 20 years in the Nevada Department of Corrections with parole eligibility after 8 years.

On January 11, 2020, officers with the Reno Police Department observed two subjects in a parked vehicle acting suspiciously in a high crime area. After contacting the suspects, the female subject told officers there were controlled substances in the vehicle and that she was driving Saafir around to sell the controlled substances. The witness provided text messages between her and Saafir that corroborated her story. Officers also learned that Saafir was on parole and recently released from prison. After being arrested, Saafir attempted to contact the witnesses through a third party to prevent her from appearing in court and testifying.

After his initial arrest, detectives with the Human Exploitation and Trafficking Unit (H.E.A.T.) began investigating human trafficking crimes liked to Saafir and developed information that he was exploiting multiple young women throughout Washoe County. HEAT Detectives also determined Saafir was continuing to exploit young women while in custody at the Washoe County Detention Center, including a twenty-year-old young woman who he manipulated into providing him with money on his inmate account. Detectives were able to intercept multiple conversations between Saafir and the victim, where she described engaging in numerous acts of prostitution on his behalf. Evidence of Saafir’s influence of the victim included hundreds of conversations where he continuously induced the victim to engage in prostitution and provide him with the proceeds despite the victim expressing reluctance and fear to do so.

Additionally, detectives intercepted written communication sent to a young woman in Las Vegas giving her explicit instructions on how to continue to engage in prostitution, setting quotas for earnings, and reminding her of the amount she must provide to him. Detectives were also able to intercept communications made by Saafir that detailed attempts to have his human trafficking victims trade sexual acts for defense attorney representation and to make false accusations against the prosecuting attorney in an attempt to avoid being prosecuted.

At sentencing Deputy District Attorney (DDA) Barrack Potter argued that 20 years is an appropriate sentence in this case due to Saafir’s criminal history and his ongoing criminal activity, even while in custody. DDA Potter stated that being a “pimp” will not be tolerated in Washoe County and the Washoe County District Attorney’s Office will continue to aggressively prosecute these types of cases.

The Regional HEAT Team was formed in early 2020 in an effort to combat human trafficking and exploitation in our community.  It is comprised of dedicated detectives from the Reno Police Department and the Washoe County Sheriff’s Office who focus on investigating and arresting traffickers and assisting the victim’s they exploit. This office works closely with HEAT Detectives in an effort to hold those who commit these crimes accountable and prevent future victimizations from occurring.  HEAT is also a part of the FBI's Northern Nevada Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force. If you, or someone you know has been a victim of Sex Trafficking call the Human Exploitation and Trafficking unit at (775) 325-6470 or Secret Witness at 322-4900, www.secretwitness.com, or text the tip to 847411 (TIP411) keyword – SW.