A Maryland woman was sentenced to 15 years for operating a sex trafficking ring, according to the Maryland attorney general's office.

Kenika Danielle Leach, 33, pleaded guilty in November 2024 to conspiracy to commit sex trafficking, cocaine distribution, and receiving earnings from prostitution.

The two-year investigation began in December 2021 when a hospital patient reported being trafficked by Leach. Using phone records, social media, and financial documents, authorities identified 10 additional victims.

The victims were women from Hagerstown, who were trafficked by Leach and her co-conspirators to hotels and motels in Baltimore and Anne Arundel County to perform commercial sex acts, the OAG said.

Prosecutors said Leach exploited the women using their drug addictions, forcing them to repay "drug debts" through commercial sex acts. Leach also used physical violence, intimidation, and manipulation to control her victims, according to prosecutors.

In an indictment, officials said Leach punished the woman by ordering them to "get on the wall" and cover their faces so she could beat them without impacting their facial features.

"Today's sentencing is a critical step toward justice for the survivors, but they will carry these wounds for the rest of their lives," Brown said.

Leach received a 40-year sentence with all but 15 years suspended, followed by five years of supervised probation. She was also ordered not to contact any of the victims.