India Tykeyah-Najee Cuyler, 24, of Columbia, pled guilty in federal court to enticing a minor under the age of 18 to engage in sexual activity.

Undercover officers with the Lexington Police Department encountered a minor advertising sex online. 

Cuyler and Donnell Salethian Woodard to drove the minor to meet the undercover officer at a motel. 

The investigation led to another nearby motel where a second minor, who was also involved in the illegal venture, was located. 

The investigation revealed Cuyler was using a cell phone to post advertisements for commercial sex with the minors online and taking a portion of the proceeds. 

Cuyler and Woodard were both charged federally.

Cuyler faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in federal prison with a maximum of life, mandatory registration as a sex offender, and at least 5 years and up to a lifetime of supervised release.

Woodard’s case remains pending. 

United States District Judge J. Michelle Childs of Columbia accepted the guilty plea and will impose sentence after she has reviewed the presentence report, which will be prepared by the United States Probation Office. 
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Lexington Police Department, and the West Columbia Police Department.