ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. — A man who investigators with the Orlando Police Department said was a recruiter in a human trafficking operation that targeted young girls has been sentenced to 13 years in prison.
Jose Santiago Sotomayor was sentenced Monday morning after he entered a no contest plea deal for two counts of human trafficking of a minor for commercial sexual activity, among other charges.
A 14-year-old girl died in 2016 after she was sold for sex and given a dangerous mix of drugs to make her forget about having sex with men, police said.
The girl's single mother had been working a lot and believed her two daughters, ages 14 and 15, were staying with friends when the 14-year-old died.
"You took her life. You broke our family. No amount of time we'll never get that back," the victim's sister said in court.
Sotomayor also recruited the 15-year-old sister of the victim, police said.
He, along with three other people, was charged in the case.
Arthur Coleman was sentenced to 15 years in prison last week during a plea deal to the same charges, plus third-degree murder.
In court, the victim’s sister scolded Sotomayor for his actions and he apologized.
One of the other suspects, Karla Alsina, will be sentenced Wednesday.
Cox Media Group