Testimony is slated to wrap up early next week in the trial of a convicted felon accused of pimping out a 19-year-old woman in Moreno Valley, controlling her through threats, as well as assaulting other women who refused to work for him, and trying to persuade an undercover investigator to join his crew.
Christian Scott Meeks, 35, of Moreno Valley was arrested in 2021 following a year-long Riverside County Anti-Human Trafficking Task Force investigation.
Meeks is charged with three counts of procuring a person for the purpose of prostitution, two counts each of depriving a person of personal liberty and assault resulting in great bodily injury, as well as one count of witness intimidation and pimping.
Prosecution testimony in Meeks’ trial began just over a week ago, and the prosecution is slated to rest Monday or Tuesday at the Riverside Hall of Justice. It was unknown whether the defense intended to call witnesses.
Meeks is being held in lieu of $620,000 bail at the Robert Presley Jail in Riverside.
According to a trial brief filed by the District Attorney’s Office, the defendant came under investigation in January 2020 after sheriff’s patrol deputies went to investigate a disturbance at the Travel Inn on Sunnymead Boulevard in Moreno Valley.
They encountered a young woman, identified in court papers only as “M.S.,” who was in a room, weeping and saying she no longer wanted to work as a prostitute.
A deputy spotted items on a nearby table that included condoms, pepper spray and a spiral notebook with a list of “House Rules,” the brief said.
Among the rules were “respect my game,” “speak only when spoken to” and “create Porn Hub account,” court papers said, alleging that Meeks, also known as “Active,” was the author.
M.S. told deputies that she had fallen under the defendant’s sway in April 2019 while struggling to stay off the streets. He convinced her to provide sexual services to “Johns” at his direction, turning over all earnings to him after he arranged her dates in motel rooms and cars using different web applications, court documents alleged.
The ensuing investigation by Anti-Human Trafficking personnel revealed that Meeks allegedly used physical threats to keep the young woman under his control.
She was provided with resources to end her activity in the illicit sex trade.
Investigators later located another woman, identified only as “J.L.,” who alleged that on March 23, 2020, she was involved in a confrontation with Meeks outside Sundance Liquor Store on Sunnymead during which he accused her of being a “snitch.”
Court papers alleged that he was incensed J.L. had turned down his solicitations to work for him as a call girl, and the confrontation turned violent, with the defendant beating her so intensely she urinated herself and collapsed on the ground unconscious.
Another woman, identified only as “V.B.,” met Meeks in November 2018 while she was pregnant and paying her bills in Lancaster by periodically providing sexual services, according to court documents. The defendant allegedly drove her to Moreno Valley, insisting that she perform a “car date” as part of her initiation to work for him. But according to the brief, V.B. ultimately refused.
Meeks flew into a rage, throwing an electronics device that shattered on her face, inflicting multiple cuts, according to prosecutors.
By January 2021, investigators had amassed sufficient evidence to put Meeks under surveillance. A sheriff’s female investigator volunteered to serve undercover in an attempt to garner further details about his alleged operation, according to the brief.
Prosecutors said that “Investigator Pierson” communicated with Meeks via Snapchat, agreeing to meet him in person to discuss possibly working for him. The woman asked multiple questions, but “when Pierson asked how much profit she would make and how much he would take, the defendant exploded and accused her of being a cop,” according to the brief.
The meeting abruptly ended.
Meeks was arrested without incident on Feb. 3, 2021.
According to court records, he has prior convictions for grand theft and attempted robbery.