2 East Texans accused of trafficking minors for sex

TYLER, Texas (KLTV) - A Tyler man and Jacksonville man are two named in a child sex trafficking ring indicted by a federal grand jury.

Malcolm Kadeem Roberts, 25, of Tyler, and Desnique Herndon, 25, of Jacksonville, are named in the six-count indictment.

According to the text of the indictment, both men “recruited, enticed, harbored, transported, provided, obtained, advertised” or benefited financially from children engaging in a commercial sex act.

The recently unsealed indictment says five of the victims were under the age of 18 and one was under the age of 14. The indictment lists three other defendants.

Roberts and Herndon were indicted on July 21. They are set for a pretrial conference on Feb. 3.