Sussex Co. man convicted by federal jury of sex trafficking

DELAWARE – A Sussex County man has been convicted by a federal jury on multiple counts of sex trafficking and forced labor.

On Tuesday, the jury convicted 68-year-old Clifton Gibbs of seven counts of sex trafficking seven adult victims, five counts of forced labor, and one count of interstate transportation for purposes of prostitution.

Evidence at the trial showed that Gibbs exploited the victims’ heroin addiction and fears of withdrawal sickness to compel the victims to engage in commercial sex, panhandle, perform demanding manual labor on his property, and steal goods for him to resell. His co-defendant, 46-year-old Brooke Waters, previously pled guilty to sex trafficking, forced labor, and interstate transportation for purposes of prostitution charges.

It was further unveiled that Gibbs searched for individuals, often young women, who were addicted to heroin, and without any money or a stable place to live, promising to take care of them by giving them free housing, food, clothing, and easy access to drugs. He also provided many of them with free heroin to ease their withdrawal sickness and allowed them to live in trailers or campers on his two rural Sussex County properties. He allegedly told the women to engage in commercial sex and directed his co-defendant to take photos of them and post online ads for them to do “dates” with commercial sex buyers. Gibbs kept all the proceeds from the commercial sex acts. It was also learned that Gibbs and his co-defendant recruited heroin addicted individuals to “boost” or steal goods for him to resell, panhandle, and do manual labor on his properties. He also used physical force with some of his victims, hitting, kicking, or threatening to shoot anyone who disobeyed his orders or talked back.

Gibbs faces a minimum of 15 years in prison and a maximum of life in prison, as well as mandatory restitution. Sentencing will be scheduled for a later date.