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United States of America v. Rashaun Parks
United States of America v. Rashaun Parks
CRIMINAL COMPLAINT
I, the complainant in this case, state that the following is true to the best of my knowledge and belief.
On or about the date(s) of January 1, 2011 and April 25, 2019 in the county of in the
District of Columbia , the defendant(s) violated:
Code Section Offense Description
In an affecting interstate commerce, the defendant, RASHAUN LAMAR PARKS, a/k/a “Ivy”, with others known and unknown
18 U.S.C. §§ 1952(a)(3) and 2 to the United States, knowingly traveled in interstate commerce and used an instrumentality of interstate commerce,
including cellphones and the internet, with intent to otherwise promote, manage, establish, carry on and facilitate the
promotion, management, establishment, and carrying on of prostitution offenses in violation of the laws of the District of
Columbia and of the United States, and thereafter performed and attempted to perform an act to promote, manage,
establish and carry on such unlawful prostitution activity.
18 U.S.C. § 2421 The defendant, RASHAUN LAMAR PARKS, a/k/a “Ivy”, knowingly attempted to transport an individual in interstate and
foreign commerce, with the intent that such individual engage in prostitution and in any sexual activity for which any person
can be charged with a criminal offense.
Complainant’s signature
Date: 04/26/2019
Judge’s signature
City and state: Washington, D.C. Deborah A. Robinson, U.S. Magistrate Judge
Printed name and title
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STATEMENT OF FACTS
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and Metropolitan Police of the District of
Columbia’s (MPDC) Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force (CEHTTF) is
D.C. This investigation has led to the identification of the geographic area that approximately
spans from L Street to O Street Northwest, and 7th Street to 16th Street Northwest (herein
“Target Area”). The Target Area is known to historically be plagued with violations of the
District of Columbia Criminal Code and the United States Criminal Code in regards to the
commercial sexual exploitation of women, human trafficking of minors, and the recruitment of
women to engage in commercial sexual exploitation. These activities have historically occurred
between the hours of 4:00 AM and 8:00 AM during any day of the week.
During the CEHTTF investigation several individuals have been identified as “pimps”
who facilitate the commercial sexual exploitation of women within the Target Area. These
pimps include Rashaun Lamar PARKS (herein “PARKS”). MPDC identified PARKS as an
individual operating as a pimp in the Target Area since June 2014. PARKS has been identified
in the course of MPD and the CEHTTF’s investigations as using the nickname of “IVY” or “IV.”
PARKS has had several contacts with the police since 2014, to include being identified as a
suspect in a June 27, 2015 assault that occurred in the 1000 block of 13th Street, Northwest,
which is within the Target Area. During this investigation, witnesses identified PARKS as
having stabbed another pimp in the chest as the result of a dispute between PARKS and the
victim over a prostitute who had stopped working for PARKS and begun working with the
assault victim as her pimp. This investigation was later declined for prosecution by the United
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States Attorney’s Office due to the victim refusing to cooperate with investigators and
prosecutors.
On July 26, 2018, MPDC interviewed PARKS in the 1200 block of 12th Street,
Northwest, which is within the Target Area. PARKS had reported that he was the victim of a
robbery, to which two other individuals were witnesses. PARKS and the two other individuals
all initially reported that he was the victim of the robbery, but all three provided conflicting
statements to MPDC, and therefore the investigation was concluded. Both witnesses to the
robbery who were with PARKS at the time have been identified as pimps working in the Target
Area.
PARKS. The members identified biographical information regarding PARKS, the vehicles he
operates, his known associates, and his social media accounts. The members determined that he
vehicles on a regular basis: a blue 2004 Lincoln Sedan with Maryland registration of 8CY0153,
The CEHTTF identified two Facebook accounts belonging to PARKS with usernames of
The social media accounts were found to be open to the public, and frequently active. The
accounts had numerous comments, photographs, videos, and symbols that are known to your
Affiant as ways pimps identify themselves as such via social media. For example, two
photographs depicting the upper pubic area of two females bearing a tattoo that depicts PARK’s
“brand” is displayed on PARK’s social media accounts. Based on training and experience, your
Affiant is aware that identifiers of such a nature are often depicted on pimps’ social media as
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recruiting tools for pimps to find new women or men to engage in commercial sexual
exploitation.
Your Affiant also located a photograph on PARKS social media which showed PARKS
standing next to an African-American female with a large tattoo on her chest wearing a robe with
So last summer I had this fine hoe named Chyna she was homeless
her mama had kicked her out. I taught her how to get some money
on the blade and tried to help her get her shit together…
Your affiant knows that the term “blade” refers to a stretch of street within a city that is
On January 28, 2019, a surveillance camera was placed in front of PARKS residence at
in Riverdale, Maryland. The camera has been active since that date, and has captured PARKS
operating the identified vehicles. The camera has also captured PARKS leaving the residence
during the early morning hours, specifically Wednesday, Thursday, and Saturday mornings.
PARKS is seen leaving and returning to the home during these periods of time with women who
appear to also reside in the home, two of whom appear to be the same females known to law
enforcement to be working as prostitutes for PARKS (herein “CW 1” and “CW 2”).
1 for prostitution in Prince Georges County, Maryland, and contacts by MPDC with CW 1 in the
Target Area. The vehicles being operated by PARKS from his residence were also registered in
CW 1’s name.
Advertisements for prostitution were also found to be posted for CW 1 in numerous cities
all across the East Coast of the United States. A post referring to CW 1’s advertisement for
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employed by PARKS. These advertisements were also posted in numerous cities on the East
CEHTTF conducted a records check regarding CW 2, and found that she had the address
found to have been arrested for a prostitution related offense in the Target Area in 2017, and had
then been contacted by MPDC after walking in the road within the Target Area.
A search of telephone numbers associated with CW 2 led the CEHTTF to locate a phone
number that was used while posting advertisements for prostitution in Washington, D.C., and
photograph of CW 2 wearing a black fur coat with shorts cut off at the top of her thigh. The post
is captioned as follows,
My lil 304 ain’t lil no more.. I’m getting her ready for the
#kentuckyderby # nayyy #RHGO
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“Vanity belle” is a name used by CW 1 when working as a prostitute for PARKS.
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Your Affiant knows that the term “304” is used in the commercial sexual exploitation world
because when 304 is written backwards it spells “HOE.” Additionally your Affiant knows that
On July 27, 2018, a members of the CEHTTF obtained a search warrant for the Instagram
account as belonging to another individual (herein “Target 1”) who has also been under
investigation for operating as a pimp in the Target Area. 2 Target 1’s Instagram account
contained pictures, videos, and comments that were consistent with the Target 1 being a pimp
and running a prostitution business. The search warrant return results showed that Target 1 was
messaging multiple females in attempt to recruit them to his business, and also communicating
with other pimps, one of them being with Instagram account “ivyleague_tv” belonging to
PARKS.
On May 23, 2018, PARKS used his Instagram account ivyleague_tv to message Target 1
as follows: “We bout to start Pimpin together. You got some shit wit you.” In messages
exchanged between PARKS and Target 1 on Instagram, the two refer to each other as “P.” For
example, on June 5, 2018, Target 1 sent the following messages to PARKS’s Instagram account
ivyleague_tv: “Ok bet that .. I’m all in P .. ima call u in a lil bit” and “What’s up P .. I’m wit it
On June 30, 2018, Target 1 posted a video that tagged PARKS’s Instagram account
ivyleague_tv. In the video, PARKS, Target 1, and another male had posted that they were in the
downtown area of D.C. The video showed all three individuals showing off their wrist watches.
The unknown male said, “Big Roli’s and things. Bing, Bing, Bow.”
2
Target 1’s identity and his Instagram screen name are known to the CEHTTF but are redacted
herefrom to protect the integrity of an ongoing investigation.
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On April 5, 2019, during the early morning hours, members of the CEHTTF were
conducting surveillance in the Target Area. During the course of the surveillance, CEHTTF
members observed PARKS’s white Cadillac parked in the 1000 block of K Street, Northwest at
approximately 4:30 AM. The members did not observe PARKS in the Target Area at this time.
MPDC that she had been forced to engage in commercial sex acts by her pimp who was
currently in the Target Area. The pimp (herein “Defendant 1”) was subsequently stopped by
CEHTTF, and PARKS was found to be in the vehicle with Defendant 1. PARKS reported
during the traffic stop that he was only in the area to check out the females, and that he was a
music producer. PARKS reported that he had taken a ride share to the area, and had then been
Defendant 1 was interviewed post arrest, and advised that he had met PARKS in
Chicago, Illinois at a party hosted there for pimps. PARKS identified himself as a pimp to
Defendant 1, and told him that he could show Defendant 1 how to pimp in D.C. if Defendant 1
ever came to D.C. Defendant 1 advised that he later met PARKS in D.C. and PARKS explained
advised that he had been inside Defendant 1’s home on more than one occasion and was shown
The CEHTTF obtained access to Defendant 1’s Instagram account, which contained
private messaging exchanges with PARKS regarding their activity acting as pimps in
Washington, D.C. For example, On August 10, 2018, the following exchange occurred:
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PARKS: Clubs?
Defendant 1: Blades
Defendant 1: Block
PARKS: Let that bitch out at Maddy’s Taproom around 230 am P you’ll be good to go.
I’ll be down
In the early morning hours of August 11, 2018, the exchange continued between PARKS
and Defendant 1:
Defendant 1: Yeah
Defendant 1: I’m about to be down there now, I’m going to hit you when I get there.
Defendant 1: I’m back in b more now getting ready for this party. I’m coming back tho
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On August 14, 2018, Defendant 1 sent PARKS via Instagram messenger a screen shot of
an exchange between himself and an unidentified female. The exchange was as follows:
Female: He fine
Defendant 1: Oh I though you was talking about the girl. The one in black is one of my
player partners “Ivy League” he’s really official I can’t introduce Y’all if you like.”
After sending PARKS the screenshot of the exchange with the female, Defendant 1 sent a
message to PARKS saying, “Bro that was a typo when I say can’t I meant to type can. But
anyway that’s a little joint from down my way we are at the ad in South Carolina. Her name is
PARKS responded:
On August 28, 2019, the following exchange between PARKS and Defendant 1 occurred
on Instagram:
Defendant 1: Got some wor ou there. Was going to that same spot you told me to go the
last time
PARKS: Downtown?
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Defendant 1: Yes
Defendant 1: All right I’m a hit you when I get down town like 1 o’clock
PARKS: Ok
On several dates between August 2018 and February 2019, Defendant 1 advised PARKS
he was in D.C. On February 17, 2019, PARKS wrote to Defendant 1: “Tippy Toppy big
Pimpin.” PARKS posted an image dated January 30 and labled “from archive” depicting two
men dressed as pimps and the caption “Happy P Day @ivyleague_tv.” He posted a second image
dated the same depicting himself and Defendant 1 dressed standing together holding “pimp”
cups. In your affiant’s training and experience, “pimp” cups – like the ones in this image – are
decorated cups that pimps often have or make to demonstrate their success, wealth and status.
On April 14, 2019, an undercover employee (UCE) of the FBI contacted PARKS via
PARKS’s Facebook account, on which PARKS identified himself as “Milton Bradley.” The
Facebook page, as described above, advertised that PARKS acts as a pimp. The profile picture
for that account depicts PARKS wearing a hat that stated “Make Pussy Expensive Again.” The
UCE was posing as a 19-year-old female who was visiting the D.C. area from Arizona and who
was staying in the Fort Totten /Takoma Park area in Washington, D.C.
While posing as the 19-year-old female, the UCE engaged in several recorded telephone
calls with PARKS between April 22 and April 23, 2019. On these calls, PARKS discussed the
UCE working for him as a “high-end” prostitute and made plans to transport the purported 19-
year-old female from D.C. to Maryland to have her work for him. Initially PARKS told the UCE
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that he “manage[d] a club” in Maryland where girls “dance.” PARKS clarified that the girls strip
and inquired whether the UCE was “down with that.” When the UCE inquired whether it was
“just” stripping, PARKS stated, “I don’t know what those girls do, some of them probably
fucking…I’m sure some of them are, some of them aren’t….some girls do different things, some
girls don’t…I don’t really, it don’t really concern me what they do when they in there making
money, if she make money, you make money….You 19, so you a grown woman….you can
decide if you want to take it to the extreme or what…tell you what, the competition is definitely
gonna be going hard.” When the UCE expressed concern about the safety of turning “tricks”
dancing, PARKS told her that “it comes with the territory…any time you in the streets doing dirt,
you can expect there to be at least some backlash, street shit happens, it’s part of the job. So if
that’s the kind of shit that worries you, I probably wouldn’t fuck with it if I were you.”
PARKS stated that he has been in the streets a long time and is now “established.”
PARKS told the UCE that he is now 33 years old and “spent all my ‘20s in the streets, hustling
and gambling and running girls and all kinds of wild shit, so I do I got a lot of hustle. I can put
you up on the game and teach you some hustle. You can get you in the street if that’s what you
want to do. But if you don’t I understand that also, I’m sure there’s a legit hustle around here for
you also, you could wait tables….Anything you tell me want to do, I can show you how to do.
Only thing I don’t fuck with anymore I don’t do drug sales and that shit anymore, I don’t fuck
with that anymore cuz that shit brings hella heat. I don’t do any violent crimes.”
As the conversation continued, PARKS told the UCE that “as far as girls, working on the
scene, in the clubs, in the casinos, wherever they want to work, I’m cool with that, I can hook
you up, I know all the people in the industry.” When the UCE asked if PARKS would tell her
how much to charge, PARKS responded, “no, it’s your body” and that it “depends on what
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you’re doing.” PARKS said, “if you’re dating, I’m not going to tell you how much to charge for
a date, that’s all up to you. What I’m going to tell you is how much I want from you every day.”
The UCE told PARKS that sounded like “a quota” to which PARKS responded, “yeah it kind of
is a quota to make sure you’re meeting your demand.” When the UCE asked how much it was
going to be and stated she had never done it before, PARKS responded that it was “really easy”
and told her to send him a picture. The UCE sent PARKS a picture of a young female that she
PARKS engaged in a second recorded telephone call with the UCE in which he discussed
with her the logistics of him picking her up in the District of Columbia and taking her back with
him to Maryland. PARKS told the UCE that the “sooner I can verify your identification, the
sooner I can get you started.” PARKS instructed the UCE to send her information to him so that
he could verify her identity. The UCE complied by sending her purported identifying
information to PARKS.
On a third recorded telephone call, PARKS discussed with the UCE his white Cadillac
sedan and other cars that he has. He then described that he has a “business model” that was
“modeled for the game.” PARKS stated, “I learned how to do business in the game ten years ago
when I started working with girls. I branched out into other businesses, that’s why I said that
part of my business, it runs itself. All the girls I been dealing with, they been dealing with me
for years. I have a girl that’s been dealing with me for 10 years, I have a girl that’s been dealing
with me for 5 years.” PARKS told the UCE that he knew clubs that she could work at legally,
but knows “the other end of the spectrum also” PARKS continued, “I’m pretty well versed when
it comes to this.” PARKS said, “Money will come. I’m not really worried about the money, I’m
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more so worried about you learning your craft and becoming good at it and becoming
independent at it. That way you’ll be a better…for lack of a better word, tool.”
PARKS asked the UCE if she had ever been to jail. PARKS told the UCE that the first
place he wanted to take her was the club “Good Guys” in D.C. because it was a very good place
to meet clients. The UCE agreed. PARKS told the UCE he’d meet her “tomorrow.”
PARKS told the UCE additional information about his background, including that when
he left school in his 20’s, he began working the streets and with “girls,” which proved to be his
“niche.” PARKS stated that he got “up” $100,000 dollars at the time from working with girls,
and that this money was used to fund his clothing brand. PARKS stated that now, he does not
“micromanage” his girls because the business runs itself. PARKS told the UCE he would
manage her career, that he would teach her how not to make small mistakes, and would make
sure that she would not make huge drastic mistakes which could “land her in jail forever.”
PARKS also advised that he would not drive the UCE anywhere, but would put her on a bus, and
she would be working by herself. PARKS then reported that she could work with other girls that
also work for him. PARKS said he would show her how to do everything that this “game”
PARKS told the UCE that there is a new word in the law, and that is “coercion,” and as a
result he does not do that anymore. PARKS told the UCE that he would let her do what she
wants to do, and he would tell her how much he costs to be her career manager, but she would
PARKS advised that his rate for a year was $300,000, and then helped the UCE calculate
how much money she would need to make daily to pay him. PARKS also advised that he would
take money from the UCE if she showed up late to work, was lazy, was sick, or was arrested.
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PARKS told the UCE that he would take $1000 every time she did any of those things as a
punishment for not doing the job properly, “because every dollar counts.” PARKS said that the
$300,000 a year he makes is “not from girls completely” because he also hustles, including
making t-shirts and promoting clubs, which he does “under the table.”
PARKS stated that the girls who work for him are “treated like my girlfriends” and that
he “wouldn’t fuck with a girl who wasn’t a hustler.” PARKS stated that his “girls” “spend a lot
of time with the guys they deal with.” PARKS stated that his girls “don’t only sell sex for
money” and that they “are in the Sugar Daddy industry.” PARKS stated that he “like[s] Sugar
Babies.” He stated he also likes “Sugar Queens” whom make more than $400,000 a year.
PARKS stated, “there are girls who are walking the street making $40 a day because that is what
they are capable of.” PARKS stated, as a career manager, he needs to bring out the potential of
his girls.
PARKS stated that this is a “game” for “young women.” PARKS advised that the UCE
could make this money however she wanted, to include “dating” older men. PARKS stated that
he does “not sell pussy. Pussy is cheap….class is expensive.” PARKS told the UCE that she
could make free money for laying next to an old man. PARKS told the UCE that it was more
dangerous to be “a $40 bitch walking the street every night” than being a “Sugar baby in Toronto
where the business is legal and you have security.” PARKS stated that this is “not just an
industry where girls sell sex for money…That shortens your perspective. You have to realize
that all over this planet, there are girls who do the same thing legally…they have security.”
PARKS referenced Amsterdam, where girls “stand in the window” and “work for a business.”
PARKS stated:
it’s not just what you see in front of you. The game is way bigger
than that. And that’s where I want girls who deal with me to start.
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On a fourth recorded phone call, PARKS stated that he did not want to discuss the details
of what the UCE would “do” over the phone, but that he would do so in person when he came to
D.C. to pick her up. PARKS offered to get a hotel room for the UCE until she was able to make
some money. When the UCE indicated she did not want to do anything “crazy” like “anal,”
PARKS indicated that she could start at a club and did not have to “jump into anything too
advanced immediately.” When the UCE said she did not want to “dance” at the club because she
could not dance, PARKS responded, “yeah, but they don’t really dance, though.” When the
UCE asked if she would make more money doing “dates,” PARKS responded, “you probably
would” and told her it was up to her if she wanted to do “dates.” PARKS told the UCE that she
was “young” and should “take it slow.” PARKS informed the UCE he would start with getting
her a room for a “day or so” while she “figure[s] out what’s going on.” PARKS stated, “let’s
start there before we jump into the dates and shit because like I said, all that shit here in this
country is illegal.” When the UCE asked if it was legal in Las Vegas, PARKS stated:
PARKS then stated that if the UCE wants to date, date “on your time, not on mine” and
that he is trying to “clean [his] shit up” and “wants nothing to do with that dating shit.” The
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UCE then stated that since PARKS was getting her a room and taking some of her money, that
When the UCE responded that she wanted to start making money right away, PARKS
stated, “Like I said, that will be… on your own terms though. You can hold onto that money for
a little bit until we work out whether I’m going to have you doing anything, you know, on the
dark side, know what I’m sayin?” PARKS then continued discussing meeting the UCE the
following day. PARKS said he wanted to meet the UCE and get to know her before they did any
“dirt” together.
The following day, the UCE, posing as the 19-year-old female, sent PARKS a private
message on Facebook stating, “I’m not feeling good bout us n ur vibe bc u was seeming mean n
mad last night.” PARKS responded, “I understand love. Wasn’t mad tho. Something just ain’t
right….I’m an Emjt personality type. My intuition is on 1000. And I know when something is
afoot.” The UCE responded by sending a “peace” sign emoji. PARKS responded, “Sometimes
when you do what I do, you miss out on a good thing. This might be one of those times, but my
freedom is more important to me. So I’ll take that risk. I hope everything works out for you.”
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The UCE then sent a sad emoji. PARKS responded, “Tell you what. Video chat me. On duo.
Instagram. Snapchat is even cool. Just no fb.” The UCE did not respond to PARKS’s request.
Respectfully submitted,
_________________________________
Thomas Sullivan
Detective
Metropolitan Police Department
____________________________________
DEBORAH A. ROBINSON
UNITED STATES MAGISTRATE JUDGE
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