Nebraska residents who are accused of serious crimes, including those allegedly involving people under the age of 18, must always try to remember that they have rights in the criminal defense process as well. Even if a person is convicted of a crime, there remains the possibility of appealing a decision, for example. Every criminal case is unique and this fact is another thing that makes it important to assume that every arrest leads to the same result.
One man who was recently convicted of sex trafficking charges wil need to be consciously aware of his options moving forward. The case was heard in a court in Douglas County and is said to be one of the first sex trafficking cases in that area. The defendant is a man who is 45 years old and is said to have essentially forced a woman who was 21 and a girl who was 15 into prostitution.
A tipoff to authorities is said to have initiated an undercover operation which connected law enforcement officials with the 15-year-old girl that reportedly has a history of mental health issues. The jury convicted the man of trafficking and he is currently expected to be sentenced in July. A maximum sentence could be for life in prison but a minimum may be 22 years in prison.
Anyone facing such a vast range of outcomes after a criminal conviction might want to talk with an attorney to understand more about how a final decision is made.
Source: Omaha World-Herald, "Omaha man convicted of forcing 2 young women, ages 15 and 21, into prostitution," Todd Cooper, May 25, 2017