PLANO, Texas – A Plano man and woman have been convicted of federal sex trafficking violations in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs.
William McKinnley Garland, 43, of Plano, was found guilty by a jury of coercion and enticement and conspiracy to commit sex trafficking.
Anastasiya Claire Lyons, 34, of Plano, was found guilty of conspiracy to commit sex trafficking.
The verdicts were reached on January 22, 2026, following a seven-day trial before U.S. District Judge Sean D. Jordan.
“William Garland and Anastasiya Lyons preyed on vulnerable young women to lure them into their web. Through horrific physical abuse and psychological manipulation, they exploited women into selling their bodies for the benefit of Garland, Lyons, and the other co-conspirators,” said United States Attorney Jay R. Combs. “I urge the public to report known or suspected human trafficking by calling 1-888-373-7888 or texting 233733. I commend the brave victims who stepped forward in this case to report what was happening to them. Only by working together can we end this scourge.”
“William Garland and Anastasia Lyons conviction is the result of years of dedicated work by our detectives, the FBI, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office and it sends a clear message that our community will not tolerate the exploitation of vulnerable individuals,” said Plano Police Chief Ed Drain. “From high‑risk operations to reviewing massive amounts of evidence, this team’s commitment brought justice to survivors and stopped dangerous offenders. This case was long, complex, and emotionally difficult, but it stopped dangerous offenders and gave survivors a chance to reclaim their lives. The courage of the victims, many of whom had been living in fear for years, is something we will never forget. I am incredibly proud of the men and women of this department and honored to stand alongside professionals who pour their time, skill, and heart into protecting our community.”
“Human trafficking is a heinous crime that often operates in plain sight and may go undetected for months or years. The victims in this case were deceived by false promises of well-paying jobs. Instead, they were physically abused and forced into becoming commercial sex workers,” said FBI Dallas Special Agent in Charge R. Joseph Rothrock. “We will continue to work with our partners to assist victims and hold their traffickers accountable.”
According to evidence introduced at trial, Garland and Lyons ran a sex trafficking operation between 2020 and December 2023 in Plano. A recruiter sought out young women on various social media platforms for the organization. Multiple victims testified that they believed that the role involved modeling or escorting and that they would be eligible to make large sums of money doing so. In fact, the women were recruited to engage in prostitution at various hotels in the Collin County area. Evidence demonstrated that the women were compelled to engage in commercial sex by means of force, including beatings, tasers, shock collars, frigid showers, unwanted tattoos, and acts of humiliation. The women also testified to being afraid of Garland, given his threats of violence toward the women and their family members. Three co-defendants pleaded guilty to federal sex trafficking charges in 2025 and are awaiting sentencing dates.
Robberta Marie Khan, 29, of Euless, pleaded guilty on May 21, 2025, to coercion and enticement and faces up to 20 years in federal prison at sentencing.
Jalen Alexander Bobo, 26, of Dallas, pleaded guilty on May 27, 2025, to conspiracy to commit sex trafficking and faces up to life in federal prison at sentencing.
Selena Rose McCombs, 25, of North Carolina, pleaded guilty on December 10, 2025, to conspiracy to commit sex trafficking and is awaiting sentencing and faces up to life in federal prison as sentencing.
Garland and Lyons face up to life in federal prison at sentencing. The maximum statutory sentence prescribed by Congress is provided here for information purposes, as the sentencing will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the U.S. Probation Office.
This case was investigated by the Plano Police Department and the FBI’s Dallas Division and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Marisa Miller and Chalana Oliver.
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Source: U.S. Attorney’s Office — Eastern District of Texas — U.S. Department of Justice press release.