A former GOP Oklahoma state senator and 2016 campaign chair to Donald Trump was sentenced on Monday to 15 years in federal prison for child sex trafficking.
Ralph Shortey, 36, was arrested in March 2017, after police found him with a boy in a motel room in Oklahoma City. The boy was 17 years old at the time, and was lured to the motel by Shortey via Craigslist. If a minor is the victim of an act of prostitution by a john, then the crime is considered child sex trafficking.
Shortey’s plea deal in November of 2017 garnered him the removal of three child pornography charges, NBC reports.
U.S. District Judge Timothy DeGiusti handed down the sentence to Ralph Shortey, 36, who faced sentences of between 10 years and life in prison. DeGiusti also ordered Shortey to serve 10 years of supervised probation once he is released from prison and said he will impose a fine on the former two-term lawmaker at a later date. The fine could be up to $250,000.
Shortey resigned shortly after the arrest. His wife obtained a divorce earlier this year.
The list of Trump’s criminal affiliations continues to grow. In every such case, one could quote Benjamin Franklin:
"He that lieth down with dogs shall rise up with fleas"
Or rise up in prison.
Report Sex Trafficking
For more information, contact the National Human Trafficking Resource Center (NHTRC), which operates 24 hours, 7 days a week. Or you can call their Hotline at 1-888-373-7888 and/or text BeFree (233733). If you suspect any kind of human trafficking, you can submit a tip via ThePolarisProject.org.
The FBI is cracking down on “Johns”—the buyers of underage girls and boys. Without demand, this billion dollar crime industry would crumble. Law enforcement agencies are conducting stings to catch traffickers and Johns in more and more states. Victims are brought to safe havens where they receive services that will help them get clean/sober and help them on their journey to recovery.
There are several things you can do. Share as many stories about human trafficking on your personal social networks as you can (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram…). Talk to people about it, and sign/share petitions like the one below or others. Help bring awareness to this horrific modern day slavery and sex trade. Learn how to recognize the signs and never be afraid to report suspicions. You might save lives.
SIGN HERE: TELL U.S. LAW ENFORCEMENT TO CRACK DOWN ON $150 BILLION HUMAN TRAFFICKING EPIDEMIC
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