Wichita man charged with sex trafficking in federal court

A 34-year-old Wichita man is among those charged in connection with an international human-trafficking enforcement operation conducted by the FBI over a four-day period, authorities said.

John H. Dickerson was charged in federal court Tuesday with one count of sex trafficking of a minor and one count of unlawful possession of a firearm following a felony conviction.

A detective answered an advertisement on an adult services website on Oct. 15, according to a criminal complaint filed in U.S. District Court in Wichita. The detective arranged to meet a sex worker at a hotel in Wichita and to pay $200 for an hour of sex.

Dickerson dropped off a 17-year-old girl at the detective’s room, according to the criminal complaint. Dickerson and the girl were taken into custody. Investigators learned that Dickerson had been paid several times to take the girl to meet customers.

The Wichita Police Department, the FBI and the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force investigated the case as part of Operation Cross Country X, which involved eight cities across Kansas and Missouri. The operation ended Sunday.

Agents and police arrested 12 alleged pimps and 14 alleged johns on state and federal charges, according to the FBI.

The investigation led agents to hotels, truck stops and street corners in Wichita, Topeka, Junction City, Overland Park and Kansas City, Kan., as well as Kansas City, North Kansas City and Independence in Missouri, according to the FBI.

The Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Office and the Exploited and Missing Child Unit were also involved in the enforcement operation, according to the FBI.

This story was originally published October 18, 2016 at 5:31 PM with the headline "Wichita man charged with sex trafficking in federal court."