33-year-old Los Angeles resident Ray Rhodes has been sentenced to 45 years in prison following his conviction on five charges dealing with him forcing a 13-year-old girl into prostitution across the span of five months.
Police say that beginning in September of 2010, Rhodes pimped out the young teenager throughout the Long Beach area until the girl was arrested in January of 2011 for prostitution. The identification of her age prompted an investigation which immediately led to the identity of Rhodes, for whom a warrant was issued. He was arrested in San Bernardino County in May of 2011 on unrelated charges and then transferred to Long Beach.
On June 27, 2013, he was convicted on two counts of lewd act with a child, one count of procuring a child for a lewd act, one count of pandering a minor under 16 years of age, and one count of pimping a minor under 16 years of age.
Rhodes will not be eligible for parole until he is 73.
Anyone who is, or has been a victim of human trafficking is urged to come forward by contacting the Long Beach Police Department’s Vice Investigations Detail at 562-570-7219. Any victim in need of resources is also encouraged to contact detectives.