Council Bluffs restaurant owner found guilty of sex trafficking

COUNCIL BLUFFS — A Council Bluffs businessman has been found guilty of sex trafficking and drug charges in federal court.

Hershal James Ratliff, 71, a longtime area businessman and owner of Jimmy’s All American Malt Shop and Grill in Council Bluffs, was found guilty Friday of four counts of sex trafficking minors, two counts of sex trafficking adults and two counts of distributing a controlled substance to a person under 21, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of Iowa.

The verdict came after a four-day trial before U.S. District Court Chief Judge John A. Jarvey.

Over the last 10 years, Ratliff would have girls come to his house and perform sex acts on him and his friends in exchange for money, drugs and other material things, according to testimony given in court.

Ratliff provided the minors with alcohol, prescription Xanax and marijuana both before and after they participated in sex acts at his home. In addition, the evidence showed that Ratliff obtained sex acts for his friends from adult women by the use of force and coercion.

Read more: https://omaha.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/council-bluffs-restaurant-owner-found-guilty-of-sex-trafficking/article_32041c9a-ebf8-11eb-a1d6-0fef3afab228.html

So being a sex trafficker is an All American side hustle, James?