Child sexual trafficker gets 9-year prison sentence
LAFAYETTE, Ind. — Thirty-five-year-old James Williams of Decatur, Illinois, was found guilty of having a 16-year-old girl working as a prostitute between March and October 2020.
Tippecanoe Superior 2 Judge Steve Meyer on Friday sentenced Williams to nine years in prison, followed by three years of probation.
Lafayette police found the girl on Oct. 12, 2020, sitting in an idling car outside an eastside hotel. She told police Williams had her working for him as a prostitute since March 2020. She said he took her to locations in eastern Illinois and western Indiana, including Tippecanoe County.
On March 3, after a bench trial, Williams was found guilty of promoting child sexual trafficking and promoting prostitution.
After the sentencing, Tippecanoe County Prosecutor Pat Harrington said, "The victim, who was 16 years old at the time the defendant began sexually trafficking her, is still working through her trauma and informed the court that everything changed for the better after she spoke to these officers.
"She is a strong and brave person whose cooperation during this case allowed us to obtain these convictions,” Harrington said.
Reach Ron Wilkins at rwilkins@jconline.com. Follow on Twitter: @RonWilkins2.
This article originally appeared on Lafayette Journal & Courier: Child sexual trafficker gets 9-year prison sentence
