Advertising

The Seattle Times Company

NWjobs | NWautos | NWhomes | NWsource | Free Classifieds | seattletimes.com

Local News


Our network sites seattletimes.com | Advanced

The Blotter

The Times' criminal justice team looks behind the scenes and behind the headlines.

January 22, 2010 at 3:36 PM

Comments (0)     E-mail E-mail article      Print Print      Share Share

Teenage pimp sentenced to 17 years in prison

Posted by John de Leon

A Seattle gang member who forced girls into prostitution was sentenced today to 17 years in prison for human trafficking and promoting commercial sexual abuse of a minor.

DeShawn "Cash Money" Clark, 19, was the first person in the state to be convicted under a new human trafficking law.

Clark was found guilty in November of second-degree human trafficking, first-degree promoting prostitution, two counts of commercial sex abuse of a minor, unlawful imprisonment and conspiracy to promote prostitution.

He was found not guilty of a second count of second-degree human trafficking, as well as charges of second-degree assault and possession of a controlled substance with intent to deliver.

According to testimony at his trial, Clark is a member of the West Side Street Mobb, a West Seattle gang whose moniker includes an acronym for "Money Over Broke Bitches."

More than 50 witnesses -- half of them law-enforcement officers -- took the stand in Clark's seven-week trial. Roughly 300 exhibits were submitted as evidence, including recorded phone calls from the King County Jail. In one, Clark tells a young prostitute to tell detectives: "I don't know, I don't know, I don't know" when questioned. In another, he tells the woman to get the word out that one of his co-defendants, who'd agreed to testify against Clark, was "a snitch."

Prosecutors said that Clark and his fellow gang members preyed on vulnerable, impressionable girls and sold them a dream, making the girls believe they were loved when really "they were nothing more than a revenue stream."

Five co-defendants involved in the West Side Street Mobb's prostitution enterprise pleaded guilty to a variety of prostitution charges, including Clark's older brother, Shawn Clark.

E-mail E-mail article      Print Print      Share Share

My hats off to Sean O'Donnell. This is a great win for police/prosecutors/victims/the community.  Posted on January 22, 2010 at 5:09 PM by SayItRight. Jump to comment
I wonder if he'll find out what it is like to be forced into prostitution while in prison? Justice is served.  Posted on January 22, 2010 at 5:15 PM by DimensionX. Jump to comment
Thank you thank you thank you for Justice and peace of mind...  Posted on January 22, 2010 at 4:05 PM by seaayre. Jump to comment

Recent entries

Jan 4, 12 - 10:10 AM
New poll shows voters split on legalizing marijuana

Advertising

Advertising

 
Most read
Most commented
Most e-mailed
 
 

Most viewed imagesMore

Advertising

Browse the archives

January 2010

December 2009

November 2009

October 2009

September 2009

August 2009