5 days ago
Man sentenced to 174 years in prison for prostituting a runaway teen
The Brief
Leroy Ellis Jr., 32, was sentenced to 174 years in prison for forcing a runaway teen into prostitution, the Maricopa County Attorney's Office said on May 29.
The teen was commended by county attorney Rachel Mitchell for testifying in the suspect's trial by jury.
MARICOPA COUNTY, Ariz. - A 32-year-old man was sentenced to nearly two centuries in prison for forcing a runaway teen to work as a prostitute, the Maricopa County Attorney's Office said.
What we know
Leroy Ellis Jr. was sentenced to 174 years in prison after a jury found him guilty of child sex trafficking and committing a dangerous crime against children.
"In 2022, the victim – who was 15 at the time - traveled from California to Arizona after meeting Ellis on Facebook. After she arrived in Phoenix, Ellis groomed her to start working for him as a prostitute right after her 16th birthday," the county attorney's office said on May 29. "The victim testified that over the next several months she gave everything she earned from sex to the defendant. On at least two occasions, she had sex so Ellis would have money to pay for his son's birthday party and buy presents."
MCAO says texts between the victim and Ellis show that he would approve her "dates" and the prices. The office also says she was "branded" with tattoos of Ellis' name and nickname in large letters.
Those tattoos were seen in photos he'd post online for "sex advertisements."
"This woman showed incredible bravery by testifying about how she was manipulated and victimized by the defendant," said Maricopa County Attorney Rachel Mitchell. "Thank you to the Phoenix Police detectives who rescued her from a life of prostitution, and to the prosecution team in my office for finding justice for this woman who has been so horribly abused."
What you can do
Click here to learn more about resources in Arizona for trafficking victims.
