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January 22, 2021 - SAN DIEGO – Cameraman Theodore Wilfred Gyi, aka Teddy, pleaded guilty on Thursday to conspiring with the operators of the adult websites GirlsDoPorn and GirlsDoToys to US Department of Justicefraudulently coerce young women to appear in sex videos.

Gyi pleaded guilty before U.S. Magistrate Judge Jill L. Burkhardt to Conspiracy to Commit Sex Trafficking by Force, Fraud and Coercion, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 371. Gyi, the second of six defendants to plead guilty, admitted that he worked from 2015 to 2017 as a camera operator for the GirlsDoPorn and GirlsDoToys adult websites, which were run by co-defendants Michael James Pratt and Matthew Isaac Wolfe.

Gyi admitted in his plea agreement that at the start of his employment he was instructed by Matthew Wolfe that, if any of the young female models asked, he should tell them that the videos would not be posted on the internet. Gyi admitted that over the course of his employment, he became aware that Matthew Wolfe and Michael Pratt were posting many of the sex videos that he filmed on GirlsDoPorn and GirlsDoToys, where they were publicly available to all willing purchasers. Nonetheless, Gyi continued to lie and personally assured the young women he filmed that the videos would not be posted publicly. To help convince them that the sex videos would not be posted on the internet, Gyi told some that he believed on-line pornography was “cheap.” Gyi also admitted that he was aware that Pratt, Wolfe, co-defendant Ruben Andre Garcia, and others were falsely assuring the women that if they agreed to appear in a video, the video would not be posted on the internet. Garcia pled guilty on December 17, 2020, to one count of Sex Trafficking by Force, Fraud and Coercion, and one count of Conspiracy to Sex Trafficking by Force, Fraud, and Coercion.

Gyi admitted that he filmed approximately 120 videos for GirlsDoPorn and GirlsDoToys.

“There is a high price to be paid by those who fraudulently exploit young women and forever alter their lives for profit,” said U.S. Attorney Robert Brewer. “Our prosecutors will leave no stone unturned in our effort to stop the tragedy of human trafficking and bring justice and restorative resources to its victims.”  U.S. Attorney Brewer commended the excellent work of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joseph Green and Alexandra F. Foster, as well as FBI agents and members of the San Diego Human Trafficking Task Force, for their continuing effort to investigate and prosecute this important case.

FBI Special Agent in Charge Suzanne Turner said, “Today’s plea underscores the FBI’s commitment to aggressively pursuing anyone who seeks to profit from the exploitation of young women.  Theodore Gyi’s actions, in support of the GirlsDoPorn conspiracy, caused significant emotional pain and distress to the victims they targeted. This conviction is another step forward in the pursuit of justice for sex trafficking victims and the FBI’s role in holding perpetrators accountable for their crimes.”

Gyi is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Janis L. Sammartino on April 9, 2021 at 9 a.m. The next hearing in the ongoing case is January 22, 2021 at 2:00 p.m.

Any additional victims of the alleged crime are encouraged to call the San Diego FBI at 858-320-1800.

The FBI is offering a reward of up to $10,000 for information leading to the arrest of Michael James Pratt. Individuals with information about Pratt should contact their local FBI office or the nearest American Embassy or Consulate.

For further information, please see:

DEFENDANT                                            Case Number 19cr4488-JLS                                    

Theodore Wilfred Gyi                                    Age:    42                    Aliso Viejo, CA*

*Pleaded guilty to a Superseding Information charging Conspiracy to Commit Sex Trafficking by Force, Fraud and Coercion, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 371.

Maximum Penalty: Five years in prison, $250,000 fine, a special assessment of $100.

CO-DEFENDANTS

Michael James Pratt                                       Age:     36                    Fugitive

Matthew Isaac Wolfe                                      Age     37                    San Diego, CA

Ruben Andre Garcia                                       Age:    31                    San Diego, CA**

**Pleaded guilty to Counts 1 and 7

Valorie Moser                                                 Age:    37                    San Diego, CA

Amberlyn Dee Nored                                     Age:    27                    San Diego, CA

SUMMARY OF CHARGES

Count 1 (charging all defendants)

Conspiracy to Commit Sex Trafficking by Force, Fraud and Coercion, 18 U.S.C. § 1594(c)

Maximum Penalty:  Life in prison, $250,000 fine, and a special assessment of $5,000 under 18 U.S.C. § 3014.

Count 2 (Pratt)

Production of Child Pornography, 18 U.S.C. § 2251(a) and (e)

Minimum penalty: Fifteen years in prison; Maximum penalty: 30 years in custody, $250,000 fine, and a special assessment of $5,000 under 18 U.S.C. § 3014.

Count 3 (Pratt)

Sex Trafficking of a Minor by Force, Fraud and Coercion, 18 U.S.C. § 1591(a)(1) and (2)

Minimum penalty: Fifteen years in prison; Maximum penalty: life in custody, $250,000 fine, and a special assessment of $5,000 under 18 U.S.C. § 3014.

Counts 4 (Pratt, Wolfe, Garcia), 5 (Pratt, Garcia), 6 (Pratt, Wolfe, Garcia), 7 (Pratt, Garcia, Gyi), 8 (Pratt, Garcia, Gyi)

Sex Trafficking by Force, Fraud and Coercion, 18 U.S.C. § 1591(a) and (b)(1)

Minimum penalty: Fifteen years in prison; Maximum penalty: life in custody, $250,000 fine, and a special assessment of $5,000 under 18 U.S.C. § 3014.

INVESTIGATING AGENCY

Federal Bureau of Investigation – San Diego Field Office

San Diego Human Trafficking Task Force

*The charges and allegations contained in an indictment or complaint are merely accusations, and the defendants are considered innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Source: DOJ