Tearful Testimony As Judge Weighs Sentence For Philadelphia Sex Trafficker
By Tony Hanson
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- A federal judge today heard from child victims of a human trafficker as he considers a sentence for defendant Rashaad McIntyre.
The victims, identified in court only as Minor 1, Minor 2, and Minor 3, were in their mid teens and very vulnerable when they were lured into child prostitution in Philadelphia. Two of these girls had run away from local foster care, the third had been trafficked by another pimp and was later sold to this defendant.
The victims talked today of the impact on their lives, including the ongoing daily psychological therapy.
In court today, the mother of Minor 3 addressed the court and the defendant.
"At the end of the day these are children -- they are children!" she said tearfully. "You don't know how it feels to think that your child is dead -- you can't get up, you can't answer the phone, you can't eat. I lost 40 pounds because I didn't know my child was alive."
McIntyre has pleaded guilty to sex trafficking of minors and production of child pornograpy, and federal guidelines call for a sentence of life in prison.
The remainder of the sentencing hearing was postponed today when the defense made a last-minute request for more time to make additional arguments to the judge.
