Girl accused in teen prostitution trial gets maximum sentence

The youngest of three girls accused of running a teen prostitution ring in Ottawa will spend another fivemonths in jail after receiving the maximum sentence for human trafficking.

After the five months of jail time, the girl will spend 76 days of supervised custody in the community.

The sentence was handed down Monday by Justice Diane Lahaie.It's the maximum sentence for human trafficking under the Youth Criminal Justice Act.

While delivering the sentence, Lahaiesaid the teen had taken part in a "vile enterprise" and used her victims as "sexual pawns."

The girl, who is now 17, cannot be named.She was 15 when she was arrested in 2012 on charges including child pornography and recruiting for the purpose of prostitution,and she underwent a psychological assessment.

She, along with two otherteenagegirls, were accused of luring teen girls to a south Ottawa home using social media, where they would allegedly be forced to perform sexual acts for men.

The court heard there were as many as nine alleged victims, ages 13 to 17.

The girl initially pleaded not guiltybut reversed the plea to guilty in September last year.

The Crown and defence made a joint sentencing recommendation of the maximum three years.

In astatement to the court read by her lawyer in December, the teen apologized,writing that what she did was a "horrific act of selfishness and bullying."