On Monday, the office of John F. Wood, United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced that a federal grand jury had indicted a man and woman on charges that the couple allegedly trained the woman's young daughter to be a dominatrix.
According to a news release issued by Wood's office, former Blue Springs, Mo., residents Todd B. Barkau, 35, of New York and an unnamed 44-year-old woman have been charged by a federal grand jury in a seven-count indictment.
"The federal indictment alleges that, from Jan. 1, 2000, to Feb. 20, 2005, Barkau participated in a venture to entice a minor to engage in commercial sex acts," the news release reads. "Barkau is also charged with one count of selling a child for sexual exploitation, two counts of inducing a child who was in his custody and control to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the production of visual depictions, one count of advertising and publishing a notice of images that involve the sexual exploitation of a child, one count of the enticement of a child to engage in prohibited sexual conduct and one count of transferring obscene material to a minor."
Barkau was arrested in New York on May 9 and made his first court appearance the following day. The victim's mother was arrested in Dallas, Texas, on May 12 and made her first court appearance the same day.
"The victim's mother, who is not being identified in this release in order to protect the victim's identity, is also charged with participating in a venture to entice a minor to engage in commercial sex acts and with inducing a child who was in her custody and control to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the production of visual depictions. This indictment marks the first time nationwide that a parent of the victim has been charged with commercial sex trafficking of their own minor child in a human trafficking case."
According to the news release, Barkau began to engage in sexual intercourse with the child in 2000, when the girl was just 12 years old. The release further alleges that Barkau sexually groomed the child to become a BDSM dominatrix and forced her to engage in sexual activities with other men. Barkau allegedly used sexually explicit Internet Web sites as a tool for training the child.
"When the child was 14 years old," the motion alleges, "Barkau created a business out of his home where he advertised the child over the Internet as the star 19-to-20-year-old BDSM dominatrix, 'Mistress Alisha,' on a Web site that he created. For two years, Barkau allegedly had the child, as 'Mistress Alisha,' sexually dominate men with BDSM performances during online video sessions and in-person sessions. This allegedly included sexual sessions, which involved, among other things, bondage, beatings, burning, and genital mutilation."
The child's mother allegedly helped Barkau, in exchange for financial benefits obtained via his BDSM Web site. Authorities believe Barkau's illegal activities earned him upwards of $80,000.
According to authorities, the victim, now 20, ran away in 2005. Investigators will not comment on her physical well-being or current location.
Federal prosecutors have filed a motion to detain both suspects in federal custody without bond. Assistant U.S. Attorney Cynthia L. Cordes is prosecuting the case. If convicted on all charges, Barkau and the victim's mother could receive life sentences without parole in federal prison.