A Pikeville man facing charges of sex trafficking pleaded guilty Friday in Federal court.  55 year old Ernest B. “Junior” Ray appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Ed Atkins in Pikeville, and admitted his guilt to five counts of sex trafficking of minors.  Ray was arrested by US Marshals in April and charged with the sex trafficking charges as well as additional charges of drug trafficking. As part of the plea agreement, prosecutors agreed to drop the drug charges in exchange for Ray’s guilty plea on the sex trafficking charges.  Judge Atkins asked Ray to make a statement, to which he replied, “I am guilty of these crimes.  I involved these people in these sex acts.”

Ernest Ray could be sentenced to as much as life in prison, but the minimum penalty is no less than 10 years in prison for each charge.  He will be sentenced in Lexington on October 11th.  Ray has been in jail since his arrest in April, and will remain in custody through the duration of his sentence.