North Carolina man sentenced to 18 years in Henrico human trafficking case
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Demontray Shadrell Bowman, a 41-year-old North Carolina man, will serve 18 years in prison for human trafficking, after being sentenced Dec. 13 to 58 years, with 40 suspended.
Initially facing charges for 32 separate offenses, Bowman ultimately pleaded guilty to four counts of commercial sex trafficking and four counts of pandering. The sentence follows an extensive investigation, involving VICE detectives and Henrico Assistant Commonwealth’s Attorney Terrica Taylor, who examined more than 100,000 digital images, positively identified multiple victims, and secured the cooperation of witnesses to testify against Bowman.
The case originated from a March 2022 call for service in the 5300 block of Airport Square Lane, where an adult woman contacted Henrico Police out of concern for her safety. The subsequent two-year investigation revealed that Bowman operated a far-reaching human trafficking operation along the East Coast, spanning from New York to Florida, with stops in major cities along the I-95 corridor.
Those in need of support or assistance can contact Safe Harbor at (804) 612-6126. Henrico Police officials encourage community members to report any suspicious activity or information related to human trafficking by calling (804) 501-5000 or Metro Richmond Crime Stoppers (an anonymous service) at (804) 780-1000.
