PHOENIX— Today Jawon Smith (D.O.B. 11/27/1989) was sentenced to 102 years in the Department of Corrections for one count of Sex Trafficking, four counts of Child Prostitution and one count of Disorderly Conduct.

“This defendant preyed on a young and vulnerable victim for his own gain through the most insidious means,” said Maricopa County Attorney Bill Montgomery. “This conviction was the result of the dedicated efforts of our prosecutors and law enforcement partners to aggressively identify sex traffickers and hold them accountable.”

The victim a then 15-year-old female, said she was recruited by Smith to work for him as a prostitute starting in April of 2013. The victim said she was forced by Smith to walk the street and solicit “car dates” where she would perform sexual acts for payment. She was then required to give all the money to Smith, who told the victim she would be killed if she tried to leave.

In December of 2014 the victim was rescued after an investigation by the Phoenix Police Department identified her as a sex trafficking victim. A short time later investigators took Smith into custody.