OKLAHOMA CITY — A Lawton couple has been sentenced to more than 45 years in federal prison and ordered to pay nearly $480,000 in restitution for trafficking two runaway juveniles in Texas, federal prosecutors announced Thursday.
Jackie Duncan, 35, was sentenced to 30 years in prison followed by lifetime supervised release. His co-defendant, Nia Hall, 30, received more than 15 years in prison, followed by lifetime supervised release.
U.S. District Judge Scott L. Palk also ordered Duncan and Hall to pay $479,832.97 in restitution. At sentencing, Palk said the severity of the crimes required punishment that would protect the public and “send a shockwave” through others who might consider similar conduct.
Runaways targeted
According to court records, two juveniles ran away from a group home in Lawton in May 2024. They were entered into law enforcement databases as missing.
One of the girls was found July 16, 2024, by Plano, Texas, police at a motel in Collin County. She told officers that she and the other missing juvenile had been sex trafficked after Duncan and Hall approached them at a gas station.
The girls lived with the couple and were driven to several cities in Texas, where they were made to perform sex acts for money. Prosecutors said Duncan and Hall kept the money but provided the juveniles with food and shelter.
The girl in Plano told officers she had recently escaped from the couple’s vehicle in the Dallas area. The second juvenile was recovered Sept. 30, 2024, in San Antonio. She gave authorities a similar account.
Investigators later reviewed online sex advertisements linked to Hall that featured images of the victims. Duncan and Hall were arrested Dec. 16, 2024.
Guilty pleas
A federal grand jury indicted Duncan in January 2025 on charges of sex trafficking children. Hall was charged with conspiracy to commit sex trafficking.
Duncan pleaded guilty April 30, admitting he knowingly recruited two minors under 18 for commercial sex acts and that he aided and abetted Hall. Hall pleaded guilty May 19, admitting she worked with Duncan to recruit and transport the juveniles for prostitution.
Officials respond
U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester said the sentences reflect the seriousness of the crimes.
“The sexual exploitation and trafficking of children is among the most vile and heartbreaking crimes in our society,” Troester said in a prepared statement. “These sentences stand as a powerful reminder that those who prey on children will be held fully accountable under the law.”
Richard “Glen” Melville, director of the Bureau of Indian Affairs Office of Justice Services, emphasized the importance of multi-agency collaboration.
“This case underscores the critical importance of collaboration across jurisdictions to protect children and hold traffickers accountable,” Melville said.
FBI Dallas Special Agent in Charge R. Joseph Rothrock said the case demonstrates the agency’s commitment to targeting child predators.
“Two child sex traffickers have received significant sentences, underscoring the seriousness of their crimes and serving as a reminder that the FBI will identify and arrest child predators,” Rothrock said.
Multi-agency investigation
The case was investigated by the Bureau of Indian Affairs, FBI, Lawton Police Department, Choctaw Nation Lighthorse Police Department, Oklahoma Highway Patrol, Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs Control, Fort Smith Police Department, Arkansas State Police, San Antonio Police Department, Plano Police Department, and Fort Worth Police Department.
Brett is the founder, and editor in chief of Oklahoma City Free Press. He continues to contribute reporting and photography to the efforts of the publication as well as leadership in developing support.
