Hunter/Lang
01/08/20
An Iowa City man pleaded guilty to two counts of sex trafficking in US District Court Monday.
26-year-old Arrion West Junior of Bittersweet Court allegedly forced a 15-year-old girl in October and November of 2018 and a 17-year-old girl in January through March of that year to have sex with men for money.
He was apprehended on March 30th 2018 when the 17-year-old reported that she was being held against her will in an Iowa City hotel room. She said she tried to escape when West grabbed her by the neck, choked her and struck her in the face.
The girl told police she met West through a social media site and he convinced her to become a prostitute. West allegedly pimped her out as many as three to four times a day, renting out various Iowa City-area motel rooms to do so.
The first incident occurred in Cedar Rapids, when the girl performed a sex act for $125. West allegedly kept all of the money.
West also allegedly provided the girl with marijuana.
West faces charges of Human Trafficking, Pimping, Pandering, Contributing to the Delinquency of a Minor, False Imprisonment and Domestic Abuse Assault Impeding the Flow of Air or Blood. If convicted on all charges he faces a maximum of 38 years in prison.