Dayton man sentenced for sex trafficking of 15-year-old girls
Judge dismisses White’s corruption argument.
Jermar White told a judge Monday what he thought of the bench trial in which he was found guilty of six of eight charges after allegations that he engaged in sex trafficking with two 15-yearold girls.
“This case was obviously corrupt,” said White, 32, of Dayton, during a long diatribe to the court. White alleged that the victimshadmultipledifferent statements during the investigation that became identical at trial, his counsel was ineffective and some statements had been coerced. “All of this is just wrong.”
After that, Montgomery CountyCommonPleasCourt Judge Timothy O’Connell told White that there was no corruption and sentenced White to prison for 11 years.
O’ConnellsentencedWhite to 10 years and 11 years for the two counts of trafficking in persons, plus three to four years each on other counts of unlawful sexual conduct with aminor, pandering obscenity of a minor and compelling prostitution.
O’Connell said the sentences would run concurrently and White will be required to register as a Tier II and Tier III sex offender. Whitewas credited with 511 days of jail-time credit.
“Sir, I saw no corruption,” O’Connell said, saying defense attorney CarlGoraleski’s defense led to not guilty findings on two counts that involved whether White knew the ages of the victims. “Mr. Goraleski did an outstanding job.”
O’Connell told White that all of his rights as a defendant were protected. The judge addressed the defense’s claim that this was the first human trafficking case in Montgomery County to go to trial and special attention was given to it.
“Just because this mightbe an initial case on a relatively new statute, and the city of Dayton police department and others were aggressive about it, or energetic and worked hard on this case doesn’tmean therewas corruption,” O’Connell said. “Yes, this is a relatively new law because it’s a very significant problem in the community.”
O’Connell later told White, “It was disgustingwhat you did.”
MontgomeryCounty assistant prosecutorKellyMadzey said, “This really is how human trafficking begins,” she said, adding that the case “was a picture of howyoung girls and women become trapped in this lifestyle.”
The two victims did not attend the sentencing.
Goraleski said this human trafficking casewas a different scenario than slavery or people crammed in trailers in the desert.
“There was no brutality. There was no physical cruelty,” Goraleski said.
“They had every opportunity to leave that residence andonedidandcameback.”
A co-defendant, Iesha Heard, was sentenced last week tothree years in prison.