Prostitution Case 1st In OC To Increase Human Trafficking Penalties
WESTIMINSTER (CBSLA.com) — A Los Angeles man accused of forcing a 14-year-old girl into prostitution is set to be the first defendant to be charged in Orange County with forcible human trafficking of a minor.
KNX 1070's Mike Landa reports Chuncey Tarae Garcia county voters in November passed Proposition 35 to increase penalties for a conviction for human trafficking.
TITLE
Garcia, 33, is charged with one felony count each of human trafficking of a minor by force or fear, pimping a minor, and forcible rape, with sentencing enhancement allegations for forcible rape of a minor 14 years of age and prior prison convictions for possession for sale of cocaine in 2007 and transportation of cocaine in 2009.
Co-defendant Cierra Melissa Robinson, 27, is charged with one felony count each of human trafficking of a minor and pandering of a minor under 16 years old by procuring, and one misdemeanor count of contributing to the delinquency of a minor.
In February 2013, 14-year-old Jane Doe lived in another state and ran away from home. A missing persons report was filed by her family.
After running away, Jane Doe met Robinson, who is accused of befriending the victim with the intention of procuring her as a prostitute for Garcia.
"He's accused of raping this victim, and imposing multiple rules on her, including what to wear, where she was allowed to sit in the car, and setting quotas for how much she had to earn in a single day," said Orange County District Attorney's Office spokeswoman Farrah Emami.
Robinson and Garcia are accused of outlining the rules of prostitution to Jane Doe, including instructing her on how much to charge for various sex acts, dress code, assigned seats in the car, and proper names to call Garcia, including "Daddy" or "Sir."
Garcia is accused of telling Jane Doe that the victim was not allowed to look at black men because they may be pimps and interpret her looks as an invitation to take her money, according to the District Attorney's Office.
The case against Garcia and Robinson is the first to be filed in Orange County following the passage of California's anti-human trafficking Prop 35 in November 2012.
Under the law, human trafficking is described as inducing, causing, persuading, or attempting to induce, cause, or persuade a person who is a minor to engage in a commercial sex act with the intent to effect a violation of pimping or pandering. Human trafficking by force or fear includes the use of force, fear, violence, duress, menace, threat of injury, coercion, fraud, or deceit in the commission of the crime.
If convicted, Garcia faces a maximum sentence of 28 years to life in state prison. Robinson faces a maximum sentence of 12 years in state prison if convicted.
Both defendants are being held on $1 million bail.
