PROBATION
FORMER CYS WORKER SENTENCED FOR TRYING TO FORCE CLIENT INTO PROSTITUTION:
MEDIA COURTHOUSE » A former Delaware County Children and Youth Services case worker was sentenced to six years of probation Monday on felony charges of trafficking individuals and promoting prostitution.
Candace Talley, 28, of Sicklerville, N.J., entered open guilty pleas to both charges earlier this month. Common Pleas Court Judge John Capuzzi said the case was difficult while handing down the sentence because he had to weigh to crimes against the fact that the victim would not have be revictimized by a trial.
“It troubles me greatly that you preyed upon her, but it also would trouble me that I would force her to be held a sort of hostage in a public forum,” he said.
Talley was arrested in January 2020 and accused of soliciting one of her clients to join a prostitution ring in Philadelphia, according to an affidavit of probable cause written by Delaware County Criminal Investigation Division Detective Mark Bucci.
Talley approached the 27-yearold victim in May 2017 and offered her an opportunity to make $1,000 per day while helping to get her children out of foster care, according to the affidavit. She allegedly knew the woman had been involved in prostitution and drug use in the past because she was able to access various government records and reports.
Talley came to the victim’s home in May 2017 to discuss her children, the affidavit says. At that meeting, Talley allegedly explained that she was involved in a “prostitution enterprise” with approximately 2,000 customers. Talley explained that she assists the business by enlisting women to work as prostitutes and driving them to and from jobs, according to the affidavit.
“(The victim) said Ms. Talley told her she could help her with her children’s situation, implying she could assist having her children removed from foster care,” according to the affidavit.
Talley also allegedly told the woman she would only drug test her when she knew that she was clean and that Talley would switch the sample if she did test “hot.”
Seeing an opportunity to make money and get her kids back, the victim agreed to work with Talley’s associates, according to the affidavit. Talley allegedly indicated she would get in touch with her friend who runs the business for the pimp and have that friend text the victim.
The woman met with Bucci and CID Sgt. Robin Clark in June 2017, according to the affidavit. The investigators reviewed texts the victim received indicating the pimp would keep 50% of any earnings and that Talley would take half of whatever was left as her cut.
Charges of corrupt organizations, official oppression and coerce/threaten of official act were withdrawn under the plea deal worked out by defense attorney Troy Archie and Assistant District Attorney Christopher Boggs, chief of the Special Victims Unit.
Boggs sought prison time for Talley Monday, saying the current guideline sentences for trafficking are “ludicrous” in that they compared to something like retail theft and contemplated probation in the mitigated range. He expressed frustration with the state Legislature, adding there is no sexual offender registration connected to the charge.
“Unless the victim had been a child, I cannot imagine a more serious set of facts for this particular charge,” said Boggs. “I think that the guidelines here grossly fail us as a society, as a community, fail the victim – I think the guidelines fail the defendant. I think this case calls for a harsh sentence.”
Archie pointed out that his client, a mother of two young children, has no prior record and already lost her job due to the charges with few prospects on finding a new one. He said her family will continue to suffer the fallout of the arrest and he does not think she will be back before the court.
“I believe this case has taught her a hard lesson, taught her family a hard lesson,” said Archie. “This is something that has been devastating to the entire family and I think it’s taken a financial and emotional toll on her.”
Talley, who has been free on $25,000 unsecured bail with electronic home monitoring since January 2020, also apologized to the court Monday, saying her actions were a “big mistake” that she has learned from.
As part of the sentence, Capuzzi ordered Talley to remain on electronic home monitoring for the first six months of her probation, provide a DNA sample to state police, perform 40 hours of community service and stay away from the victim.
“Unless the victim had been a child, I cannot imagine a more serious set of facts for this particular charge. I think that the guidelines here grossly fail us as a society, as a community, fail the victim – I think the guidelines fail the defendant. I think this case calls for a harsh sentence.”
— Assistant District Attorney Christopher
“You took advantage of a poor lady that’s in a bad mental health state, bad physical state, trying to reclaim her life and get her children back. You – who has children – should understand how hurtful that is to her.”
— Common Pleas Court
Judge John Capuzzi
“You took advantage of a poor lady that’s in a bad mental health state, bad physical state, trying to reclaim her life and get her children back,” the judge told Talley. “You – who has children – should understand how hurtful that is to her.”