A Portland man has pleaded guilty to multiple charges related to the sex trafficking of three minors, following his arrest and indictment earlier this year.
Eric Lamont Harris, 50, admitted guilt on several counts, including transportation with intent to engage in prostitution, three counts of sex trafficking of a child, three counts of sex trafficking of a child while benefitting from participation in a venture, and one count of sexual exploitation of children. The plea came on the fourth day of his jury trial.
Court documents state that Harris began trafficking a 15-year-old girl in spring 2022 after she was reported missing as a ward of the state. He later began trafficking two other minors aged 16 and 17. In July 2022, Harris transported two victims from Portland to Kennewick, Washington, where he arranged for them to engage in prostitution at a hotel. Authorities recovered the two girls after one set of parents reported their daughter missing.
The investigation found that all three victims lived with Harris during their exploitation and gave him proceeds from commercial sex acts. Harris arranged hotel rooms for these activities, facilitated online advertisements featuring the minors, and received thousands of dollars from their activities.
“Sex trafficking is a most despicable crime that, unfortunately, happens here in Oregon. With our state and federal partners, we will stand up on behalf of the victims and do everything within our power to root out this evil and protect our children,” said U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon Scott E. Bradford.
“This guilty plea is a first step in providing some form of closure to the victims and their loved ones,” said Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Portland Special Agent in Charge Doug Olson. “This defendant’s systematic approach to sexually exploiting minors for financial gain and satisfaction demonstrates a level of depravity that warrants the full extent of the punishment legally possible.”
A federal grand jury indicted Harris on September 16, 2025. He now faces up to life imprisonment, fines up to $250,000, and supervised release for life. Sentencing is scheduled for January 29, 2026.
The case was investigated by several agencies including the FBI; police departments in Portland, Kennewick, and Medford; and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Charlotte Kelley and Robert Trisotto.
This prosecution was conducted under Project Safe Childhood—a Department of Justice initiative launched in May 2006—to address child sexual exploitation nationwide by coordinating federal, state, and local efforts. More information about Project Safe Childhood can be found at https://www.justice.gov/psc.
Victims or those with information about human trafficking are encouraged to contact the National Human Trafficking Resource Center at 1-888-373-7888 or text 233733; tips can also be submitted through its website.
