Quote:
Originally Posted by activeStick
That seems low, no? I feel like weed dealers are likely in prison for longer terms, but I could be wrong... I'm guessing maybe lower sentence due to pleading guilty and maybe she's ratted a whole bunch of people out?
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There's certainly weed dealers who are in for life due to the three strike system and other hard on crime bull####. Also she didn't plead guilty. But the maximum sentences for counts 1, 3, 5 were 5 years (conspiracy under U.S. Code § 371) and an appeal ruling considered them multiplicitous invoking double jeopardy and the court found that the decades long crime as a single crime with a maximum of 5 years under Count 3 (1 and 5 were dropped).
Count 4 (Transportation of an individual under the age of seventeen with intent to engage in sexual activity in violation of New York law i.e. the Mann Act conviction) had a maximum of 10 years and only dealt with one specific individual ("Jane). The maximum was based on when it occurred, but updates to the law have increased the maximums and currently it's 20 years (changed from 10 years in 2003 but the crime had began before then).
Count 6 (sex trafficking of an individual under the age of eighteen i.e. the Trafficking Victims Protection Act conviction) was related to only one individual ("Carolyn"). This has a maximum of 30 years at the time the crime occurred but now there is no maximum.
So Count 1, 3, 5 - maximum of 5 years
Count 4 - Maximum of 10 years
Count 6 - Maximum of 30 years
Now though someone doing the same thing could have each count of 1, 3 and 5 stick with a maximum of 20 years each, count 4 with a maximum of 20, and count 6 with no maximum.
But with the current charges, as much as I'm sure the judge would have liked to thrown the book at each one for her, the big one was count 6 and its based on transporting someone under 18 years of age to have criminal sex with. While Maxwell is obviously disgusting and deserves to rot, the actual crime here was in relation to giving a 14-17 year money to have sex with Epstein in New York. Horrible, but on a separate level of a child being kidnapped, transported and violently raped (though other charges attached to that).
That's why the probation department suggested 14-19, and the judge still gave her a bit more with 20. Had she done it today, she's probably looking at a much larger sentence but hands were tied.