Louisiana Supreme Court Upholds the Legality of the State’s Child Trafficking Statute

37 year old Kellie M. Dominique of Baton Rouge has been sentenced to 16 years in prison after being convicted for child trafficking. As reported by The Advocate, the sentencing came a day after the Louisiana Supreme Court declared the state’s child trafficking law as constitutional.

This is not automatic. This is not completely a Banana Republic (though Lois Lerner made it out to be one in 2012). With a criminal defense lawyer in Baton Rouge, LA you can have your charges knocked back and/or reduced. 

The defendant admitted to running a prostitution racket through the classified advertising site, backpage.com. The site features a variety of services that includes escort, strip club services, adult jobs, and massage services, to name a few.

Baton Rouge, LA criminal defense lawyers point out that the statue on child trafficking was also upheld by the Louisiana Supreme in another case involving 30 year old Dominick Sims also of Baton Rouge. She used the same classified advertising site to traffic a 16 year old girl.

The defendant argued that the state’s child trafficking law is conflicting since it criminalized the intentional trafficking of juveniles for sex and at the same time barred a defendant from claiming that he or she was unaware of the victim’s age.

Criminal defense lawyers in Louisiana say that the court deemed that the two sections were conflicting and in a 6-1 decision reversed the decision of state District Judge Chip Moore, who had struck down the provision last year.

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Child Victimization a Major Problem

Attorney General Jeff Landry was of the opinion that child victimization was a major concern in Louisiana. He said his office remained committed to preventing this serious crime. In addition, US Attorney Walt Green reiterated that prosecutors did not need to prove that the defendant knew that the victim was under 18. His office had prosecuted Kellie Dominique.

Criminal defense lawyers in Baton Rouge, LA explain that US District Judge Shelly Dick sentenced Kellie Dominique to 16 years in prison in 2013 for operating a sex racket from her home. She was ordered to pay $15,000 as restitution to the victim. US Attorney Walt Green said that the highest court’s decision makes it clear that trafficking of minors was a serious crime with harsh punishments.

There has been a series of convictions for child trafficking in the recent past. 34 year old Jeremie Tate of Zachary was recently sentenced to over 9 years in prison for working with several prostitutes that included the minor that Dominique also trafficked.

An accomplice, who worked with Dominique and Tate, 21 year of Roxanne Merritt of Greenwell Springs, was also sentenced to a year in prison. 23 year old Taniya Smith was arrested along with Sims in January 2014 after the hotel staff reported informed the police that men were visiting their hotel room throughout the day.

Meanwhile, if you believe you could be arrested or charged with a crime, the only way to put up a solid defense is by working with a criminal defense lawyer in Louisiana. So go ahead and seek help right away. The DA has you in its crosshairs – you need sound legal help.