PHOENIX (AZ Family) — Voters approved several ballot propositions, including Proposition 313, which would send child sex traffickers to life in prison. This dramatically increases the mandatory sentence.

Voters support it, but legal experts say it will be important to make sure victims caught in a dangerous web aren’t also sent to prison for life.

It’s not just unmasked killers who will spend their lives in prison in Arizona; now, they are also child sex traffickers.

“I think people looked at it and thought this is a good idea, and in theory, yes, it is a good idea,” said Jay Rademacher, a former Maricopa County prosecutor turned defense attorney.

Currently, in Arizona, those found guilty of child sex trafficking of victims under the age of 15 face a minimum sentence of seven years.

This prop now makes a conviction not just a life sentence, but also no possibility of parole.

Rademacher fears this could influence a sex ring leader to permanently silence victims to prevent them from reporting the crimes.

“What incentive does a pimp or John have now to keep their child alive?” Rademacher said.

He said this type of sentence is great for your top-level leader of a sex-trafficking ring, but where it becomes limiting is when the victims, young adults turned into the ring, are forced to recruit other children, a helpless cycle for those trapped inside. .

Should he go to prison for life?

“There are a lot of situations where it can be applied to people who don’t deserve such a harsh punishment, especially when that punishment is the same punishment you could get for killing someone,” Rademacher said.

“First degree murder?” asked true crime correspondent Briana Whitney.

“Murder in the first degree – felony murder,” Rademacher replied.

But former Mesa police undercover detective Matt Browning spent decades infiltrating sex-trafficking rings and said investigators and prosecutors are working together to catch the person at the top and protect those who help them get there.

“The 21-year-old will not be sentenced to life in prison when she was forced, coerced, to put her sister in because of threats made against her. They’re going to take that 21-year-old and use her to help the bigger fish,” Browning said.

Browning said that often ends up in a plea deal, which avoids trial altogether or, in some cases, drops the charges.

“The main guys, the main traffickers? Yes, you are done. Life in prison. The people you have destroyed and hurt along the way will be used to go against you,” he said.

Browning said that in the years he’s spent investigating this type of child sex trafficking in religious cults and drug rings, he said the predators at the top are never able to recreate a safer situation for everyone if they’re behind bars for good.

“They will not live a normal life after hurting, abusing, molesting, raping a minor girl or boy,” Browning said.

Rademacher said this stiffer sentence won’t change anything else in these cases — the burden of proof on prosecutors remains the same, and discovery and litigation remain the same.

The only difference is that if convicted, the judge has no discretion over a sentence; it’s straight to life in prison.

In perspective, that’s a lot more time than anyone convicted of 2nd degree murder.

See a spelling or grammar mistake in our story? Please click here to report it.

Have a breaking news photo or video? Send with us here with a brief description.

Copyright 2024 KTVK/KPHO. All rights reserved.