A Canton man was convicted Thursday on charges of sex trafficking a 15-year-old runaway by posting online sex ads, prostituting her, and pocketing the money, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office.

Keion Rowell, 24, was arrested and charged in April 2022 and indicted by a federal grand jury in May 2022. A jury deliberated for four days this week before finding Rowell guilty of trafficking the girl, according to officials.

He will be sentenced on Dec. 11 and faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in prison, with a maximum sentence of up to life in prison, five years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. 

Acting Massachusetts U.S. Attorney Joshua S. Levy said Rowell preyed on the teenager by grooming her and then trafficking her and taking the money. 

“This conduct is despicable and has no place in a civilized society,” Levy said in a news release. “Sex trafficking causes immeasurable physical and long-term emotional suffering, and this office will continue to work tirelessly to seek justice for the brave survivors.”

Investigators said Rowell met the victim on Jan. 18, 2021, shortly after she had run away from her suburban Boston home. Soon after, Rowell posted numerous online commercial sex ads that contained nude photos of the victim, and told her that she would have to have sex in exchange for money. Prosecutors said Rowell communicated with “sex buyers” and sent the victim to meet with men to have sex in exchange for money, which he pocketed. 

On Jan. 28, 2021, 10 days after the victim had been reported missing, police conducted an undercover operation to rescue her. Investigators said she had Rowell’s phone which contained photos of her and Rowell, information about his personal bank accounts, links to online advertisements for commercial sex and communications with sex buyers. Prosecutors said Rowell used Venmo and Cash App accounts for his transactions with buyers.

Rowell had also opened an online “Meet Me” account for the victim that advertised sex with the girl and instructed her on how much she should charge, prosecutors said.

“Keion Rowell forced a 15-year-old child into sexual servitude, for his own greed and financial gain,” said Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Boston Division. “While FBI Boston’s Child Exploitation — Human Trafficking Task Force can’t erase the harm he’s done, we’ve made him answer for it. We thank the jury for bringing justice for his victim and ensuring Mr. Rowell can’t claim anymore.”

Authorities urged anyone impacted by or experiencing commercial sex trafficking to contact [email protected].