On October 30, 2025, investigators with Central Minnesota Human Trafficking Task Force were conducting an investigation into prostitution advertisements posted online. Investigators observed an advertisement posted on the website MegaPersonals offering sexual services in the City of St. Cloud area. The advertisement listed a phone number and contained language offering sexual services for money. An investigator contacted the number listed in the advertisement. Through text communications, the individual controlling the advertisement negotiated a meeting for sexual services for money.
The investigator arranged to meet the individual at a residence located in the 1500 block of Northway Drive in the City of St. Cloud, County of Stearns, State of Minnesota. Shortly before the arranged meeting time, Adult A (fully identified in the police reports) arrived at the location. Adult A was interviewed and told investigators that she had come to that location to engage in sexual activity for money and that she had recently met with multiple sex buyers in the St. Cloud area in exchange for money.
Adult A told investigators that a friend from Chicago named "Ricky" had helped set up the online advertisement and was communicating with potential buyers. Investigators completed a forensic extraction of Adult A's cell phone and located numerous text messages and social media communications between Adult A and the defendant, Rickey Pharrell Mackey, [DOB REDACTED]. The communications showed the defendant directing and facilitating prostitution activity involving Adult A. Records obtained during the investigation show that a Verizon phone number ending in 8072, which was used in the prostitution advertisement, was activated on July 29, 2025, and subscribed to the defendant.
Text messages between Adult A and the defendant began on or about August 6, 2025. In these communications, the defendant discussed creating accounts used to post advertisements for prostitution. On August 6, 2025, the defendant provided Adult A with login information for an email account and instructed her to keep the information in case he was arrested. In subsequent messages, the defendant asked Adult A to assist him with setting up an online account used for advertisements and instructed her to provide verification codes sent to her email.
On August 7, 2025, the defendant sent Adult A text messages containing language consistent with a prostitution advertisement, including descriptions of sexual services, pricing, and payment methods. Adult A also sent images to the defendant which were intended to be used in advertisements. Records obtained from the defendant's Google account show multiple emails from MegaPersonals related to account setup and verification. The account also contained search history during September and October of 2025 for escort websites including "Chicago Escorts," "ListCrawler," and "MegaPersonals." On October 17, 2025, a MegaPersonals advertisement was posted using the phone number ending in 8072, which is the number subscribed to the defendant.
