Man Sentenced to over 16 Years for Pimping Teen and Woman

LOS ANGELES – A 38-year-old man will remain behind bars for over 16 years for trafficking a juvenile and adult woman in South Los Angeles, officials said.

Benjamin Pennington, 38 pleaded no contest to three felony counts, which include human trafficking of a minor for a commercial sex act, human trafficking and dissuading a witness from prosecuting a crime. He also admitted to a criminal threats conviction in 2003.

The 17-year-old girl was pimped by Pennington between February and December 2015. Pennington, according to the prosecutor, advertised the teen for sex online. The 17-year-old victim was detained by police while she was working for Pennington and told police that she was forced into being a sex worker. Authorities located and arrested at his probation office in December 2015.

Through investigation, it was also learned that Pennington pimped a 23-year-old woman in 2015 whom, while in custody he called to demand her to continue working while he was in jail. He also ordered her to not testify in the criminal case against him.

Pennington was immediately sentenced to 16 years and 8 months in state prison and was ordered to register as a lifetime sex offender.

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