Former Anoka County Attorney Andrea Sampson Charged With 26 Felony Counts in Sex Trafficking Case

Andrea Leigh Sampson, a former assistant Anoka County attorney, has been charged with 26 felony counts for allegedly helping run a commercial sex trafficking operation that targeted at least 13 women over five years in Minnesota.

The 35-year-old faces 13 counts of promoting the prostitution of an individual and 13 counts of receiving profits from prostitution, according to a criminal complaint filed on Thursday.

A Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension investigation, which began in 2021, alleges that a 57-year-old man ran the operation alongside Sampson and two other women, focusing on adult victims across several cities.

The Anoka County Attorney's Office said it was notified of the investigation in February while Sampson was still employed in its civil and family law division. She was immediately placed on administrative leave and officially left the agency on 9 March.

Shell Companies and Minneapolis Properties

Investigators allege Sampson provided the financial and logistical framework to sustain the operation. She is accused of creating and maintaining corporate entities that functioned as shell companies to conceal and funnel illicit profits.

Money generated from commercial sex was allegedly gathered and deposited into various accounts before being transferred into corporate bank deposits managed by Sampson.

Court records state that at least two properties owned by Sampson in Minneapolis were used as primary hubs for the operation.

Victims were allegedly taken to these locations to have photographs taken for online advertisements and to complete commercial sex transactions.

The wider operation extended beyond Minneapolis, with activity in Bloomington, Eden Prairie and St Louis Park. A 36-year-old female co-defendant reportedly owned and managed a website titled 'Minnesota Erotica Personals', where women were advertised for sexual services.

A 30-year-old woman and the 57-year-old man were allegedly involved in recruiting victims, managing online postings and setting the financial rates for appointments.

Coercion and False Romances

Citing phone records and journal entries, the complaint noted a dynamic where Sampson and her two female co-defendants appeared to believe they were engaged in romantic or sexual relationships with the central male figure.

Several of the 13 women told law enforcement that a man armed with a gun would periodically appear to intimidate them and ensure compliance whenever the management group expressed dissatisfaction.

Victims also disclosed instances of sexual assault and reported being provided with alcohol and drugs. There were also allegations that hidden cameras were used at specific locations.

Autism Sites and Bail Conditions

Investigators discovered that Sampson, the 57-year-old man and the 36-year-old woman were also operating assisted living and autism facilities, collecting revenue from these ventures while the alleged trafficking operation was running.

Stephanie Page, executive director of the Story Foundation, said the involvement of a former legal professional was grounded in financial motivation.

'It's force, fraud, or coercion,' Page told reporters, noting that an adult survivor might agree to a situation without understanding the full extent of what they are looking at. She added that a former attorney participating in such a lucrative enterprise is not entirely surprising.

The case has attracted scrutiny because of Sampson's previous public service role, and detectives are continuing to search for potential additional victims. Sampson remains in custody at Hennepin County Jail on bail set at £790,000 ($1,000,000).