A Colorado judge has sentenced sex trafficker Brock Franklin–who was found guilty of 30 out of 34 counts including human trafficking, child prostitution, sexual exploitation of a child, pimping of a child, kidnapping, and racketeering–to 472 years in prison. This extended way past the minimum sentence of 96 years requested by Franklin’s defense team, but well under the 616 years requested by the attorney general’s office. Colorado’s NBC 9 News reports:
Janet Drake, with the Attorney General’s Office, asked the judge for a 616 year sentence on behalf of the people of the state of Colorado.
“This is not a minimum sentence type of case,” Drake said.
Franklin’s defense team argued a 616 year sentence would not be appropriate. His attorneys told the judge a 96 year to life sentence would be ample punishment, since Franklin would likely never live to see his parole eligibility even with that sentence.
It is likely the longest sentence ever given for sex trafficking in the United States.
Franklin was considered the leader of a child sex trafficking ring for which seven people were indicted by a grand jury in 2015. The alt-weekly Westword has reported that one minor referred to as D.Y. told authorities that he controlled her with molly, pimped her out on Backpage, and punched her in the face. The paper also reported that five other members received much softer punishments, from four-year deferred sentences to a maximum of 18 years in prison.
According to the National Human Trafficking Hotline, Colorado hit a record 122 reports last year, thanks in part to heightened awareness.
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