Sex trafficker gets 3 years in prison, judge calls actions reprehensible
CBC
A 19-year-old woman was sentenced Monday to three years in prison after admitting to sex-trafficking charges involving two girls in the Moncton-area.
The 19-year-old, who cannot be named, pleaded guilty in February to five charges. She admitted recruiting and controlling the movement of two girls, advertising sexual services with them, and receiving a financial or other benefit from the commission of a crime in early April 2024.
Last week, Crown and defence lawyers jointly requested the sentence that Moncton provincial court Judge Claude Haché imposed on Monday morning.
"[Her] crimes were reprehensible," Haché said.
"She manipulated and directed the victims to provide sexual services to unknown adults. They were in a strange city, far from home, under her influence and felt like they had no other choice than to do what they were instructed to do."
The 19-year-old told the court that she started doing sex work herself after her mother died. She was in her early teens and she didn't have a job.
"I just needed a way to survive," she told the court from the prisoner's box Thursday.
She cannot be named because Haché issued a publication ban under a section of the Criminal Code about protecting "a justice system participant" in a case involving a criminal organization.
Crown prosecutor Marc-André Desjardins referred Thursday to the 19-year-old carrying out the crimes for the benefit of a criminal organization, though defence lawyer Daniel Gallant told the judge that wasn't part of what she was admitting.
Gallant said the woman, born in a another country, will face immigration consequences.
Gallant said that while trying to survive as a teen, she was taken advantage of by people who recruited her into the sex trade. He said she made a "seamless" transition from being a victim herself to victimizing others.
"The line between being a victim and being an offender became blurry and she crossed it," Gallant said.
The judge said he hopes the sentencing ends the cycle of abuse.
One of the two girls read a victim impact statement to the judge on Thursday. The girl said what happened changed her life, leaving her feeling angry, worthless and disgusting. She said she cries every night.
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