Henry suspended without pay in wake of indictment

The U.S. Postal Service told reporters from KOAM-TV Friday that Dennis Henry, postmaster in Nevada, has been suspended indefinitely without pay in the wake of the news of his indictment, along with four other Missouri men, in connection with a commercial sex trafficking conspiracy case.

On Thursday, the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Western District of Missouri, announced that a federal grand jury had indicted the five men for their roles in the case, alleging that the a young, mentally deficient woman was sexually abused and tortured for several years in a Lebanon, Mo., home, and forced to work as an exotic dancer at local strip clubs.

The indictment alleges that Henry, along with Michael Stokes, James Noel and Bradley Cook participated in the conspiracy as customers of Edward Bagley Sr., who allegedly convinced the woman, who was age 16 at the time and identified in the information from the U.S. Attorney's office only as FV, he would help her become a model and a dancer; but he began sexually abusing the her instead; convincing her to sign a "sex slave contract" when she reached the age of 18, the U.S. Attorney's Office said.

The investigation began in February 2009, after a torture session in which she was electrocuted and suffocated brought on cardiac arrest and the woman was taken to a hospital, officials said Thursday.

Don Ledford, a spokesman for the U.S. attorney's office in western Missouri, told the Associated Press on Friday that the female victim has received help from social service agencies, but he otherwise declined to comment on her current condition.

U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Missouri Phillips cautioned that the charges contained in this indictment are simply accusations, and not evidence of guilt.

Evidence supporting the charges must be presented to a federal trial jury, whose duty is to determine guilt or innocence.