Kevin Anthony sentenced to 180-months in prison

On March 11, Kevin Anthony was sentenced to 180-months in prison for his involvement in promoting and profiting from prostitution, Hennepin County Attorney Mike Freeman announced Friday. The incidents for which he was charged and sentenced occurred between Feb. 20, 2020 and March 22, 2020.

Anthony, 37, of St. Paul, was convicted by a Hennepin County jury on Feb. 24 on the charges of promoting prostitution and receiving profits of prostitution. In addition to the maximum statutory sentence of 180-months (or 15 years) for these offenses, Anthony will need to register as a sex offender and pay costs of nearly $2,000.

The costs are comprised of a prostitution penalty assessment and the costs associated with his extradition from Florida after he fled from a Hennepin County courthouse in September 2020.

He will also receive 303 days of credit for time already served.

According to the criminal complaint, Anthony solicited customers for two female victims to work as prostitutes for him and took the money paid for those sexual services provided by the victims. During the timeframe noted in the complaint, advertisements for sexual services were posted online, with Anthony’s cell phone number being the primary contact to schedule appointments.

On March 13, 2020, Bloomington police texted Anthony’s number and arranged a meeting with him and a female victim. Police went to a hotel located in Bloomington and found a female victim there who was accompanied by Anthony, the complaint says.

Shortly after, police spoke with the female victim, at which time Anthony threatened and yelled at her to stop crying, stop talking and to “soldier up.” The female victim took the officers to the hotel room where they found drugs, and she and Anthony were arrested, the complaint states.

While in jail, the female victim explained that she and Anthony reconnected after a decade had gone by, and they started dating. He then suggested the female victim become a prostitute, which she agreed to try, but quickly found that she didn’t want to continue, the complaint says. The female victim was then threatened by Anthony to continue. The female victim also informed investigators that she was sexually assaulted by Anthony, and was forced to use drugs.

In addition, the female victim informed police of another woman who also worked as a prostitute for Anthony. The second female victim had given birth to Anthony’s child, but had been forced to continue working as a prostitute while she was pregnant, the complaint furthers.

Officers obtained a search warrant for Anthony’s phone which revealed that his number was connected to commercial sex advertisements. They also found photos and videos of the female victims, with some of the latter capturing Anthony discussing commercial sex acts, the complaint says.

Anthony has six previous felony convictions.

View the criminal complaint for Kevin Anthony (PDF).