Spokane man gets 30 years in federal prison for sex, drug trafficking

A 55-year-old Spokane man received a 30-year federal prison sentence Wednesday for sex and drug trafficking out of Spokane Valley hotel rooms.

The investigation into James A. Stinson started in 2021 following a series of controlled purchases of crack cocaine, according to a news release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Washington.

Some of the purchases occurred from Stinson’s hotel room in Spokane Valley. The FBI, Spokane Police Department and Spokane County Sheriff’s Office searched Stinson’s adjoining hotel rooms and found distribution quantities of methamphetamine, cocaine, crack cocaine and fentanyl pills, along with multiple illegally possessed firearms, the release said.

Their search indicated the rooms may also have been used for sex trafficking. Stinson installed video surveillance cameras to film the activities in the rooms.

Videos showed Stinson threatening and beating one of the victims he trafficked, according to the release. Messages on his phones revealed his ongoing use of force, fraud and coercion to force victims to engage in sex work and provide him with the proceeds of the activity. The messages also showed he made significant money from his human trafficking and drug trafficking operations.

A jury found him guilty of 11 felonies pertaining to sex trafficking, drug trafficking and unlawful possession of firearms.

Stinson was ordered to serve 10 years of supervised release after his prison term. The court also imposed $28,000 in restitution to victims.

Stinson was previously convicted in Washington state court for delivery of cocaine and served 11 years in prison. He was released in 2011, the release said.

In 2012, Stinson was convicted in federal court in Eastern Washington for unlawful use of a controlled substance in possession of a firearm and ammunition and served 10 years in prison. Stinson was on federal supervised release when he was arrested in 2021.

“The sentence imposed here reflects the seriousness of Stinson’s actions,” First Assistant U.S. Attorney Pete Serrano said in the release. “Crimes involving drug trafficking and illegal firearms possession are devastating to our communities. Mr. Stinson distributed controlled substances and exploited and coerced, through violence or the threat of violence, multiple vulnerable women to engage in sex work. He took advantage of these women’s addiction and other personal vulnerabilities for his own benefit.”