Fallon man going to prison; ‘teen’ he solicited was undercover cop

RENO, Nev. (KOLO) -A Fallon man will spend up to nine years in prison after what he thought was a teenage girl he was recruiting to be a sex worker ended up being an undercover police officer.

Shamonte Benson-Young, 24, will serve a least 43 months in prison after pleading guilty to attempted facilitating sex trafficking of a child and attempted child abuse or neglect involving sexual exploitation, the Washoe County District Attorney’s Office said.

At the time of his arrest, Benson-Young was on parole for burglary with the use of a deadly weapon and conspiracy to commit robbery.

The Regional Human Exploitation and Trafficking Unit determined Benson-Young was trying to solicit an undercover detective posing as a 16-year-old girl, the district attorney’s office said. Benson-Young asked for explicit photos and videos and offered to set up sex-for-money advertisements and help facilitate prostitution. On April 13, 2021, Benson-Young went to meet what he thought was a 16-year-old and was arrested by HEAT detectives.

At sentencing, Deputy District Attorney Darcy Cameron said he encouraged and helped a child to engage in prostitution and also created and posted child pornography for his financial gain, calling that abhorrent. Cameron said a significant and lengthy prison term would protect the community from further victimization.