MIAMI (WSVN) - A Miami man has been sentenced to life in prison for sex trafficking a teenager and creating child porn.
According to prosecutors, 42-year-old Jason Gatlin met the victim, a 17-year-old girl, through another 17-year-old girl in October 2018. Gatlin knew the victim had a history of running away and being trafficked by others.
Over the course of two months, Gatlin tricked the victim into believing the he loved her and he wanted to marry her. Prosecutors said Gatlin enticed the teen with attention and drugs, lied to her, gave the girl money for sex and took photos of them having sex.
However, after gaining her trust, Gatlin trafficked her and then, at the end of November, when Gatlin felt the victim wasn’t living up to his rules, her beat her up and left her at a gas station in the Keys.
The victim called police and Gatlin was arrested a few days later.
Prosecutors said after his arrest, Gatlin had a relative give the victim money with a promise of more if the victim told police Gatlin had never trafficked her and that the two never had sex.
Gatlin’s relative also housed the victim for a time and drove her to a defense attorney’s office to recant her sworn statement.
Ultimately, Gatlin was convicted of sex trafficking a minor, production of child porn and witness tampering on Sept. 17. He has been sentenced to life in prison.
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