Louisville, Ky. — A Louisville man was convicted Thursday afternoon on multiple charges, including human trafficking, kidnapping, and harassment, after a harrowing two-month ordeal in which he forced his ex-girlfriend to engage in sexual acts with multiple men for money, physically abused her, and ultimately chained her to the floor in his home.
Moises May, 36, was found guilty by a Jefferson County Circuit Court jury after deliberating for about three hours. The charges stemmed from a series of disturbing events that took place in the summer of 2023, culminating in a dramatic rescue on August 16. Wilson was eventually freed after a neighbor called 911 when she was able to escape by kicking out a window. Police arrived on the scene to find the victim chained by the neck and bolted to the ground inside a house that had been fortified with bolted windows and locked doors.
The jury recommended a 35-year prison sentence, and May is set to be formally sentenced on July 2.
The case revolved around the testimony of Jonna Wilson, who described being manipulated and abused by May over several months. Wilson recounted how May forced her to have sex with men for money and later subjected her to violent acts, including cutting off her hair with a machete after an argument. She also testified that May chained her to the floor, threatening her life when he left the house to run errands.
While Wilson’s memory was described as “fuzzy” and at times inconsistent by the defense, Assistant Commonwealth’s Attorney Max Gosman argued that the key moments of abuse were vivid in Wilson’s recollection. Gosman emphasized the unusual security measures in the home, including bolted windows, locked doors, and a heavily fortified house that seemed designed not to protect from intruders, but rather to keep Wilson inside.
“He made that house impenetrable,” Gosman said during his closing statement. “What would require this level of protection, of security? They weren’t intended to keep intruders out. They were meant to keep Jonna in.”
The defense, led by attorney Anastasia McKettrick, attempted to undermine Wilson’s credibility, calling her testimony “shaky” and inconsistent. McKettrick suggested that some of the actions between the former couple were consensual, pointing to Wilson’s admission that she had engaged in sex for money in the past. McKettrick also argued that the alleged act of chaining Wilson to the floor was a part of a contract the couple had entered into as a form of discipline for Wilson’s struggles with addiction.
However, Gosman refuted this explanation, challenging the plausibility of the defense’s claims. “We’re expected to believe she consented to chain herself up by the neck like a dog?” he questioned.
One of the most chilling aspects of the case was the testimony from the first officer to arrive at the scene. Police found Wilson in a state of extreme distress, crying and hyperventilating. The officer recalled having to use an axe to free Wilson from the chain that was bolted to the floor, and firefighters were called in to break into the house, as the doors had been barricaded. Body camera footage shown to the jury revealed Wilson guiding officers through the house, where she pointed out a room with a padlocked door and told them she couldn’t get out without a key.
In an emotional statement to WDRB News, Wilson recalled her fear during the moments leading up to her escape. “I said, ‘This is my only time, if I didn’t get free now, I’ll be dead,'” she said. “He made me strip naked, he put the chain around my neck, he called his friend and said, ‘I’ve got to take this equipment back to Lowe’s. When I come back, I’m going to kill you.'”
Wilson, who shares a child with May, testified that she had agreed to go to the home to help him clean after he made the request. It was during this visit that May allegedly trapped her inside, chained her up, and threatened her life.
Authorities have hailed the successful rescue of Wilson, noting that the quick actions of law enforcement and neighbors prevented what could have been a tragic outcome.
