There’s a new three-strikes felony in California.
Gov. Gavin Newsom signed Senate Bill 14 Sept. 25, adding child sex trafficking to the list of 40 crimes that impose heightened sentences for second and third offenses. The change will also prevent district attorneys from plea bargaining with defendants charged with child sex trafficking in most cases, and disallows diversion and probation.
“Human trafficking is a sick crime. With this new law, California is going further to protect kids,” Newsom said in a statement.
Existing law sets punishments for sex trafficking between eight and 20 years in state prison, and a maximum fine of $500,000. It also sets punishments for inducement of child sex acts at between five and 12 years in prison and a fine of $500,000. If the defendant used force, coercion or violence, they would receive 15 years to life, and a maximum fine of $500,000.
California created a three-strikes practice in 1994, after voters ratified the change in law through Proposition 184. The second conviction under any three-strikes felony will result in a double sentence. The third conviction under any three-strikes felony will result in a life sentence with a minimum term of 25 years.
Lewd acts with a child, continuous sexual abuse of a child, arson, murder, rape, kidnapping, burglary of an inhabited dwelling, witness intimidation, assault with a deadly weapon on a public transit employee and criminal threats are all existing three-strike felonies.
Sen. Shannon Grove (R-Bakersfield) authored the bill.
“The signing of Senate Bill 14 is a huge victory for California’s children and the survivors of sex trafficking who have long fought for justice,” Grove said in a statement. “With the passage of this bill, we are sending a clear message to child traffickers— we intend to put you out of business and behind bars where you belong.”
Grove credited the bill’s passage to public outcry after the bill was killed in a committee.
“I want to thank the thousands of Californians who called or visited legislative offices, signed petitions, and spoke out on social media. We are here today because of the overwhelming public outrage that propelled this bill through the legislature and ultimately helped protect our children from predators,” Grove said in her statement.
