Isaac Pearson, 34, was convicted of human trafficking on February 3, 2016 in Lehigh County– making him the first person to be convicted by a jury under Pennsylvania’s reformed, comprehensive human trafficking statute, Act 105 (2014). On March 7, Lehigh County Common Pleas Court Judge Maria Dantos sent a message to traffickers when she sentenced Pearson to 17 to 34 years in prison – the maximum sentence allowed for human trafficking. In addition, she ordered Pearson to register as a sex offender per statutory requirement. Judge Dantos’ sentence clearly conveys the message that traffickers will be held accountable for their crimes and punished accordingly.
After showing remarkable strength at trial by testifying against and being cross-examined by her trafficker, the victim continued sharing her courageous character with the court during the sentencing by reading a poem that she had written about her victimization. “It is never okay to profit off of someone else’s vulnerability,” she said.
In pleading to the court, Pearson proclaimed his innocence and attempted to portray his relationship with the victim as a loving one. This representation of a boyfriend/girlfriend relationship and manipulation are typical tactics used by traffickers to lure women into the life with promises of a future.
Fortunately, Judge Dantos was not manipulated by Pearson’s pleas of innocence. Judge Dantos condemned Pearson’s lifestyle of manipulation, including his continued attempts to manipulate the victim, the court staff, and others throughout his detention and trial. She noted it was “despicable” for him to believe he was entitled to profit from selling another person’s body.
After Deputy District Attorney Robert Schopf presented evidence of Pearson’s thirteen previous arrests, eight previous convictions, and four misconducts while in jail for this crime, Judge Dantos laid down the maximum sentence. She concluded by telling the victim, “You were seen, heard, and believed.” She encouraged her, “You are strong . . . you do not belong to him. Not as a person, not as a victim. The future – your future – is yours.”
The CSE Institute commends the Lehigh County District Attorney’s Office for pursuing and securing this conviction, and Judge Dantos for giving the victim a voice during her path to healing. We also applaud the victim – well on her way to survivorship – for her strength, her courage, and for sharing her voice with the world. It is our hope that this conviction and sentence sets strong precedent for holding traffickers in the Commonwealth accountable for their atrocious crimes.