Former Oklahoma state senator admits to child sex trafficking while in office

[Mormolyce]

Former Oklahoma state senator admits to child sex trafficking while in office

Shortey, a Republican who resigned last spring amid allegations that he had solicited sex from the teen, will plead guilty to a child sex trafficking charge, his attorney, Ed Blau, said. Prosecutors will drop three child pornography charges as part of the plea deal.

“After looking at all the evidence and case law and statutes and everything else, we just felt that this would give him the best opportunity to come out with the best outcome possible,” Blau told The Washington Post. “It would’ve been an extraordinarily difficult case to win a trial.”

Had Shortey gone to trial and lost, he would’ve been looking at a 30-year prison sentence at the very least, Blau said. The sex trafficking charge is punishable by at least 10 years in prison. Federal law requires defendants to serve at least 75 percent of their sentence. In Shortey’s case, that would be 8 1/2 years, but a judge will ultimately decide on what his sentence would be.

A spokesman for the U.S. attorney’s office in Oklahoma City said he can’t comment on the plea agreement but pointed out that Shortey is scheduled to appear in court Nov. 30 for a plea hearing.

Shortey, who represented a portion of Oklahoma City, was first charged in Cleveland County in March, after police officers found him and the underage teenager in a motel room. Authorities said the two had been talking since they met on Craigslist the year before and later agreed to go to a Super 8 motel in Moore, Okla., just south of Oklahoma City.

Investigators also found messages the two had exchanged on a messaging app called Kik.

According to an affidavit, the teen told Shortey that he needed money for spring break, and the two talked about meeting for sex.

“I don’t really have any legitimate things I need help with right now,” Shortey wrote, the affidavit said. “Would you be interested in sex stuff.”

“Yes,” the teen responded.

Shortey was charged with engaging in child prostitution, transporting a minor for prostitution and engaging in prostitution within 1,000 feet of a church. The motel was near First Christian Church. Those charges were dismissed in September, when state officials turned over the case to federal prosecutors. Shortey was indicted in federal court on child pornography and sex trafficking charges that same month.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/...=.5afa7d195a84

Ooh, now that's bad timing.

[beanman12345]

I don't think his odd's of making it 8 1/2 years in prison are very good.

[Travis B]

Once he gets out of prison, he'll have a bright future as a U.S. senator from Alabama.

[Blade Wolf]

Once he gets out of prison, he'll have a bright future as a U.S. senator from Alabama.

Probably just in time for Moore to retire since he seems quite old.