12/24/2020 - by Brian Bates - OKC, OK.
According to court documents, Izavia Smith and his then girlfriend Zhenyia Berry, kidnapped a woman from a Dallas nightclub on her 18th birthday and drove her back to Oklahoma, where theyallegedly sex trafficked her out of a Budget Inn in OKC.
According to the victim; she went with some friends to Dallas, TX to celebrate her 18th birthday. While at a club, she reportedly lost site of her friends. The girl claims that while she was standing outside the club, Smith grabbed and abducted her.
That night the girl said she was kept at a Dallas area hotel and that at some point she got into an altercation with Smith and he punched her, leaving a still visible injury to her lip.
The next day the teen was taken to Oklahoma City, where they group first went to an apartment complex and then a Budget Inn - where Smith placed an ad online and forced her to prostitute for his financial benefit.
According to reports, when a ’John’ responded to the prostitution ad and met up with the teen, she disclosed she was a sex trafficking victim.
The ‘John’ then fled with the girl and took her to her grandmother’s house. He then encouraged her to report the incident to police.
In Oct. of 2017 the couple was charged in Oklahoma County with Sex Trafficking, Kidnapping, and Conspiracy to Commit Sex Trafficking. Smith was also charged with Felon in Possession of a Firearm and Pandering.
At the time, Berry’s grandmother spoke out publicly, stating, “She had told us the boy [Smith] made her go to Texas and pick up some girl. I don’t know who the other little girl was or whatever and he was trying to put them on the streets … She’s a sweet little girl, she’s not bad. She’s just hanging out with the wrong people.”
Berry posted this on Feb. 6, 2019 regarding he mugshot for sex trafficking and kidnapping…
Berry indicates on her personal Facebook page that she attended NW Classen High School in OKC.
In Jan. of 2018 all of the charges were dropped against Berry. No reason is given in the official court docket.
On Jan. 11, 2019 Smith, a previously convicted violent felon, entered into a plea agreement and pled guilty to a single count of pandering. Smith was sentenced to only 5-years in prison. This sentence also included four other separate felony cases!
Smith’s criminal resume includes charges for: (2013) burglary x4, (2015) kidnapping, domestic assault and battery x2, assault and battery, malicious destruction of property, concealing stolen property, escape from custody, driving without a license, no insurance, harboring a runaway child, (2016) possession of cocaine with intent, possession of meth with intent, possession of criminal proceeds, and domestic abuse.
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES:
MEDIA COVERAGE:
10/17/2017 - KFOR Ch4 - Man arrested for human trafficking in Oklahoma City after 18-year-old came forward with horrifying story.
10/17/2017 - KOKH Ch25 - Police: Good samaritan rescues teen from human trafficking.
12/27/2017 - KFOR Ch4 - Police: Second suspect in human trafficking, kidnapping case arrested.