A person who pleaded responsible to intercourse trafficking a 16-year-old lady who was later murdered was sentenced to seven years in jail Friday.
U.S. District Judge Sharon Coleman handed down the sentence to Charles McFee, tacking on 5 years of supervised launch upon his discharge from jail. He should give up on Aug. 6, although that date may very well be modified at one other listening to subsequent week.
McFee admitted to primarily promoting 16-year-old Desiree Robinson for $250 to Joseph Hazley, a pimp who marketed her for intercourse on Backpage.com. Robinson was murdered, authorities allege, by a john on Christmas Eve 2016 in a storage in south suburban Markham.
Hazley was sentenced to 32 years in jail final week.
At his two-hour sentencing listening to Thursday, McFee mentioned he “wasn’t thinking of the consequences of my actions at the time. I was young and dumb, truthfully.”
“I can’t take it back, but I would if I could,” he added.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher Parente — who requested for a 9 ½-year sentence — careworn that McFee “knew what Mr. Hazley was going to do with Desiree.” Parente nonetheless heaped relative reward on McFee for his cooperation within the case, which included testifying in opposition to Hazley.
“He has a lot to offer, and I think he will go on to do good things,” Parente mentioned. “I do not see this defendant as a danger to any other children going forward.”
About a half dozen members of McFee’s household had been in court docket Friday, together with his mom, a sister and a younger nephew. At one level, Coleman requested McFee’s mom to take the younger boy out into the hallway to keep away from listening to a number of the case’s particulars.
Parente additionally learn aloud a letter written by Robinson’s mom, Yvonne Ambrose, who mentioned the teenager had “the brightest smile that lit up any room.” She additionally referred to as for accountability for these concerned in her daughter’s loss of life.
“Charles McFee preyed upon my baby,” Ambrose wrote. “He was willing to sell my baby’s safety, her life, for $250.”
“Desiree did not deserve or ask to be sold to the highest bidder,” she added.
McFee’s lawyer, Christopher Graul, referred to as McFee’s habits within the case “an aberration,” including that “this is not an evil man.”
Testifying at Hazley’s trial, McFee mentioned he and Robinson had solely deliberate to con Hazley and break up the cash — a finder’s price Hazley was going to offer McFee for bringing him the teenager. Robinson, although, ended up staying with Hazley.
McFee mentioned he met Robinson via Facebook in 2016, and so they rapidly started assembly in individual. Robinson, he mentioned, claimed to be 18 years previous. Late within the 12 months, McFee mentioned, Robinson had organized to carry out a business intercourse act on her personal, and McFee mentioned he drove her to her date. However, he mentioned, it fell via.
To make some fast cash, McFee mentioned he advised taking Robinson to Hazley’s home, the place McFee deliberate to gather the finder’s price in change for Robinson. Then, McFee mentioned he anticipated he’d have the ability to depart for a liquor retailer with the lady. He mentioned he schemed with Robinson to make it appear to be she ran away whereas they had been operating their errand. Later, they might meet up and break up the cash.
McFee mentioned he deliberate to maintain $50 of the $250.
Instead, once they arrived, Hazley requested Robinson if she was certain she needed to have intercourse for cash, McFee mentioned. When she agreed, Hazley allegedly requested one other girl who labored for him, nicknamed “Winter,” to get Robinson some good garments. Hazley then uploaded pictures of Robinson to Backpage and gave Robinson the nickname “Nicki,” McFee mentioned.
Robinson’s accused killer, Antonio Rosales, is awaiting trial in state court docket. The feds seized Backpage final 12 months, and its founders are beneath indictment.