Man Who Trafficked Women On Notorious Oakland 'Blade' Faces Life In Prison: DA

OAKLAND, CA — An East Bay man admitted Thursday in court to forcing women to engage in commercial sex in Oakland's infamous "Blade," and beating them when they disobeyed him, federal prosecutors said.

Federal prosecutors say Michael Simon, 37, of Oakland, pleaded guilty in federal court to conspiracy to commit human trafficking by force, fraud or coercion for his role in a human trafficking conspiracy between June 2023 and September 2025.

Simon and co-conspirators, according to the United States Department of Justice, recruited women and advertised them for commercial sex out of the Blade — a notorious corridor along International Boulevard in East Oakland known for street prostitution.

They'd rent the women hotel rooms, which would also be used for commercial sex, authorities said, and use force, threat, fraud or coercion to get the women to comply, authorities said.

"Simon and his co-conspirators used cellular telephones to field phone calls from prospective clients," federal prosecutors said, adding that the 37-year-old would then instruct the women via text message to go to a specific hotel to "engage in commercial sex acts."

The women were not allowed to keep any of the money they earned and were expected to have sex with customers whenever they were told, federal prosecutors said.

If they refused or failed to hand over the money to Simon, he'd hit them in the face and head, federal prosecutors said.

Simon is due back in court on Oct. 1 for sentencing. He faces a maximum sentence of life in prison and a $250,000 fine, federal prosecutors said.