Florida Man Sentenced to More Than 27 Years in Federal Prison for Violent Sex Trafficking Operation in Daytona

A federal court in Florida has imposed a lengthy prison sentence against Delon Richard Smith, closing a case that exposed a sustained pattern of violence, coercion, and exploitation carried out against two women over multiple years in the Daytona Beach area.

On February 2, 2026, Smith, 47, was sentenced in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida to 327 months in federal prison—more than 27 years—after pleading guilty to two counts of sex trafficking by force, fraud, or coercion and one count of conspiracy related to the same conduct. In addition to the prison term, the court ordered Smith to pay $4,800 in restitution to the victims.

Federal prosecutors established that Smith operated a localized but highly violent trafficking scheme that relied on physical abuse, psychological domination, and threats of lethal force to control the women he exploited. Rather than isolated incidents, the conduct reflected a systematic effort to strip the victims of autonomy and extract profit through sustained intimidation.

Court records show that Smith separately recruited the two victims in 2021 and 2022, targeting them during periods of vulnerability by offering narcotics and the promise of income. Once under his control, Smith posted online commercial sex advertisements featuring photographs of one victim and transported both women to various locations across the Daytona Beach area to meet buyers.

Investigators detailed how Smith retained all proceeds from the commercial sex acts and enforced compliance through repeated violence. The abuse included punching, choking, and explicit threats reinforced by Smith’s claims of gang affiliation. Prosecutors presented evidence that Smith routinely used firearms to terrorize the victims, including one incident in which he discharged a weapon and then pressed the hot barrel against a victim’s face as punishment for failing to generate enough money.

In another documented assault, when one victim left a hotel room without Smith’s permission, he struck her in the head with the butt of a firearm and forcibly dragged her into a vehicle by her hair. These acts, prosecutors argued, were not impulsive but instrumental—designed to maintain control, suppress resistance, and prevent escape.

The case was investigated by the FBI Jacksonville Field Office, with critical assistance from the Daytona Beach Police Department. Authorities credited the investigation’s outcome to sustained interagency coordination and the willingness of the victims to cooperate despite the trauma they endured.

Federal officials emphasized that sex trafficking cases of this nature are treated as violent crimes, not vice offenses, due to the degree of force, coercion, and long-term harm involved. The sentencing reflects both the severity of Smith’s conduct and the federal government’s intent to incapacitate individuals who use violence to profit from human exploitation.

The prosecution was handled by attorneys from the Justice Department’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section in coordination with Assistant U.S. Attorneys for the Middle District of Florida.

Authorities reiterated that human trafficking remains a largely hidden crime, often sustained through fear and isolation, and urged individuals with information about trafficking activity to report it through appropriate law-enforcement or victim-support channels. Federal officials stated that accountability in cases like this depends not only on investigative resources, but on breaking the silence that allows exploitation to persist.

With sentencing complete, Smith will serve his term in federal custody, followed by supervised release, ensuring long-term monitoring and restrictions designed to prevent future harm. The case stands as a reminder that trafficking operations—regardless of scale—carry profound human consequences and are pursued as serious federal crimes.

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