What's the appropriate sentence? Here are the facts:
"Appellant James Albert Jackson (“Appellant”) met a 14-year-old minor, referred to as AK, on the streets of Seattle, Washington, where AK was engaged in prostitution and cocaine distribution. After giving AK alcohol and having sex with her multiple times, Appellant convinced AK to move with him to Portland, Oregon so the two could sell ecstacy.
Once in Portland, Appellant told AK that she would have to prostitute herself to pay for their motel room. Appellant beat and choked her during this first night in Portland. For the next three months, AK earned approximately $400-$600 per day as a prostitute and gave her earnings to Appellant. Appellant asked co-defendant Donnico Johnson and Johnson’s prostitute, Lisa Miles, to take and post photos of AK on an online advertisement on the website craigslist.com.
After AK was arrested twice for prostitution, she told the authorities about Appellant and co-defendant Johnson, who were then arrested."
So, essentially, Jackson met a 14-year old, who was already a drug dealer and prostitute, and had sex with her, and then took her elsewhere so he could become her pimp (which he did), and then beat her at least one time while he was her pimp. How many years in prison?
Forty.
P.S. - For comparison: The average sentence for defendants convicted in federal court of murder is twenty-three years.
