Published - October, 26, 2005
Man sentenced in s e x ring
Ohioan gets 40 years for prostituting girls
Kristen Rasmussen
@PensacolaNewsJournal.com
An Ohio man was sentenced to 40 years in federal prison Tuesday for his role in a large-scale prostitution ring that trafficked in girls as young as 13 in several states.
Wayne Robert Banks, 27, of Toledo pleaded guilty in July to six felony counts stemming from his involvement in a multi-state network of pimps who traded and sold prostitutes, some of whom were juveniles.
In imposing the maximum sentence on each of the six counts, Senior U.S. District Judge Lacey Collier described the defendant's crimes as "one of the most dastardly that exists in our country."
"You destroyed so many lives," Collier told Banks. "These young girls could never have a normal life because of you."
In a rambling, 20-minute statement, Banks said he was "remorseful" for his crimes and that the underage girls "presented themselves as adults" and were willing participants in the prostitution.
"I've been in and out of the system since I was a juvenile, but I've never been a violent person. I've never imposed my will on anyone," he said.
Banks was arrested in March after an Escambia County Sheriff's Office deputy saw a juvenile prostitute talking with a potential customer.
According to Banks' indictment, he and other pimps traveled with or sent juvenile and adult females to various states to engage in prostitution between August 2003 and his arrest.
The women, who were told what to charge for certain sexual acts, gave the money they made to Banks and the others.
Assistant U.S. Attorney David Goldberg said at least 10 women worked for Banks. The prosecutor referenced a photograph of Banks with several young women at Walt Disney World.
Before his arrest, Banks provided his van to transport a 16-year-old girl and other women to travel from Pennsylvania to Georgia to Florida to engage in prostitution, the indictment states. Banks drove his Cadillac in front of the van, leading it to each stop.
After his arrest, Banks wrote letters and made more than 100 calls from the Escambia County Jail in an attempt to obstruct the federal investigation, Goldberg said.
"If they mention me and Florida, just say that you are not going to court and you don't know anything about what I do or who I do it with," Banks wrote in an April letter to one of his associates in Indiana.
In arguing for leniency for his client, defense attorney Patrick Jackson said the government's sentencing recommendation was "excessive."
But Goldberg argued Banks took "impressionable young girls" and treated them like "products."
"This case is not about prostitution," the prosecutor said. "It's about taking girls from the age of 13 to their early 20s and trafficking them in different states to be with men in various sexual acts."
The charges include conspiracy to engage in interstate transportation of minors for criminal sexual activity, ______ trafficking of a minor and tampering with a witness, victim or informant.
The judge also ordered Banks to register as a s e x offender.
Man sentenced in s e x ring
Ohioan gets 40 years for prostituting girls
Kristen Rasmussen
@PensacolaNewsJournal.com
An Ohio man was sentenced to 40 years in federal prison Tuesday for his role in a large-scale prostitution ring that trafficked in girls as young as 13 in several states.
Wayne Robert Banks, 27, of Toledo pleaded guilty in July to six felony counts stemming from his involvement in a multi-state network of pimps who traded and sold prostitutes, some of whom were juveniles.
In imposing the maximum sentence on each of the six counts, Senior U.S. District Judge Lacey Collier described the defendant's crimes as "one of the most dastardly that exists in our country."
"You destroyed so many lives," Collier told Banks. "These young girls could never have a normal life because of you."
In a rambling, 20-minute statement, Banks said he was "remorseful" for his crimes and that the underage girls "presented themselves as adults" and were willing participants in the prostitution.
"I've been in and out of the system since I was a juvenile, but I've never been a violent person. I've never imposed my will on anyone," he said.
Banks was arrested in March after an Escambia County Sheriff's Office deputy saw a juvenile prostitute talking with a potential customer.
According to Banks' indictment, he and other pimps traveled with or sent juvenile and adult females to various states to engage in prostitution between August 2003 and his arrest.
The women, who were told what to charge for certain sexual acts, gave the money they made to Banks and the others.
Assistant U.S. Attorney David Goldberg said at least 10 women worked for Banks. The prosecutor referenced a photograph of Banks with several young women at Walt Disney World.
Before his arrest, Banks provided his van to transport a 16-year-old girl and other women to travel from Pennsylvania to Georgia to Florida to engage in prostitution, the indictment states. Banks drove his Cadillac in front of the van, leading it to each stop.
After his arrest, Banks wrote letters and made more than 100 calls from the Escambia County Jail in an attempt to obstruct the federal investigation, Goldberg said.
"If they mention me and Florida, just say that you are not going to court and you don't know anything about what I do or who I do it with," Banks wrote in an April letter to one of his associates in Indiana.
In arguing for leniency for his client, defense attorney Patrick Jackson said the government's sentencing recommendation was "excessive."
But Goldberg argued Banks took "impressionable young girls" and treated them like "products."
"This case is not about prostitution," the prosecutor said. "It's about taking girls from the age of 13 to their early 20s and trafficking them in different states to be with men in various sexual acts."
The charges include conspiracy to engage in interstate transportation of minors for criminal sexual activity, ______ trafficking of a minor and tampering with a witness, victim or informant.
The judge also ordered Banks to register as a s e x offender.
