Las Vegas man sentenced to 8 years in prison for pimping 16-year-old girl in Costa Mesa
A Las Vegas man was sentenced Monday to eight years in state prison after pleading guilty to pimping a 16-year-old Utah girl in Costa Mesa.
Brandon Antwan Hunter, 31, appeared in Orange County Superior Court on Monday for a scheduled preliminary hearing but instead pleaded guilty to charges of human trafficking of a minor, pimping a minor, pandering a minor and unlawful sexual intercourse, all felonies, according to court records.
Hunter, who identified himself in jail records as a producer, will be required to register as a sex offender, according to prosecutors.
Costa Mesa police arrested Hunter and Danielle Beniese Bates, 31, also of Las Vegas, on Nov. 24 while responding to a report of a fight at a Motel 6 in the 1400 block of Gisler Avenue, authorities said.
Police said Hunter and Bates were staying in the motel with the girl.
Officers spoke to the 16-year-old and determined that she was being “made to prostitute herself and give all her money to Hunter as well as have sexual intercourse with him,” according to Roxi Fyad, a spokeswoman for the Costa Mesa Police Department.
Authorities said Hunter and Bates met the girl in Las Vegas last month and took her to Costa Mesa. Prosecutors allege that Bates also worked for Hunter as a prostitute and recruited others for him.
Bates is facing felony counts of human trafficking, pimping a minor and pandering a minor. She pleaded not guilty Nov. 28.
She could face up to 12 years in state prison if convicted.
Twitter: @HannahFryTCN
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