Man sentenced to 9 years in prison in child sex trafficking case in Lafayette

LAFAYETTE — A man from Illinois was sentenced to nine years in prison after he was convicted of child sex trafficking-related charges in March.

According to Tippecanoe County Prosecutor Patrick Harrington, James Williams, of Decatur, Illinois, was sentenced Friday to nine years in prison and three years on probation after he was convicted of promotion of child sexual trafficking and promoting prostitution.

In October 2020, a Lafayette Police Department officer found a 16-year-old girl alone in a car in a hotel parking lot, according to a probable cause affidavit. During the investigation, officers believed Williams was her "pimp" and was trafficking her.

“On behalf of the victim, and our community, I thank the officers and detectives for their prompt and thorough investigation," Harrington said in a press release. "The victim, who was 16 years old at the time the defendant began sexually trafficking her, is still working through her trauma and informed the court that everything changed for the better after she spoke to these officers. She is a strong and brave person whose cooperation during this case allowed us to obtain these convictions."