By JUSTIN STORY

justin.story@bgdailynews.com

A Bowling Green woman accused of helping usher a 19-year-old woman into illegal sex work pleaded guilty on Wednesday to federal crimes.

Brittany Renea Howard, 26, entered a guilty plea in U.S. District Court to charges of interstate transportation for prostitution and obstruction.

A plea agreement filed Wednesday said that Howard abetted Portier Govan on Aug. 9, 2022, in driving the 19-year-old, identified in the document as Victim 1, from Bowling Green to Opry Mills shopping center in Nashville, to buy clothing for her and get her nails done as part of the sex trafficking scheme.

“After purchasing clothing and getting their nails done, Brittany Howard aided and abetted Portier Govan in driving Victim 1 back to Bowling Green, where Howard and Victim 1 engaged in prostitution,” the plea agreement stated.

Govan is said to have taken pictures of Howard and the 19-year-old on Aug. 10, 2022, in the newly bought clothing, with Howard using the pictures to post online ads for sex work in Bowling Green, federal court records show.

Howard and Govan were arrested Aug. 11, 2022, by the Bowling Green Police Department after officers responded to a report of a disturbance at a Ramada Inn on Scottsville Road.

On that date, Howard moved firearms from the hotel room to a car at the business at Govan’s direction and also told the 19-year-old to lie to police, according to Howard’s plea agreement.

The charges to which Howard pleaded guilty were brought by the U.S. Attorney’s Office on Wednesday in an information, negotiated down from more serious charges against Howard that included conspiracy to commit sex trafficking, sex trafficking by force, fraud and coercion, for which she could have received up to life in prison.

Howard pleaded guilty to federal counts that carry a maximum potential combined prison sentence of 35 years, but prosecutors recommended a sentence at the lowest possible range of sentencing guidelines for Howard.

Govan, 38, of Memphis, has pleaded not guilty to charges of conspiracy to commit sex trafficking, sex trafficking by force, fraud and coercion, interstate transportation for prostitution, obstruction and possession of a firearm by a prohibited person.

Govan’s case is scheduled to go to trial on Dec. 16.

Police say that Govan coerced the 19-year-old into committing multiple commercial sex acts from Aug. 8-11, 2022.

An arrest citation said that the 19-year-old told police Govan and Howard took her phone, vehicle and keys and forced her into sex work at the Ramada Inn.

The day before Govan and Howard’s arrests, Govan is alleged to have taken out a handgun and pointed it at the 19-year-old’s head as he drove her vehicle, the alleged victim told police.

“Next, he pointed the handgun a few inches in front of the victim and fired a round,” BGPD Detective Ryan Dillon stated in an arrest citation. “The bullet went through the front passenger side door.”