Accused pimp convicted of sex trafficking 16-year-old girl who was killed by customer
CHICAGO (Sun-Times Media Wire) - An accused pimp could spend the rest of his life in prison after a federal jury convicted him Wednesday of sex trafficking a 16-year-old girl who was killed during a meeting he arranged with a customer in 2016.
Joseph Hazley, 35, was convicted of felony counts of conspiracy to engage in sex trafficking of a minor, sex trafficking of a minor and transporting a person across state lines for the purposes of prostitution, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Northern District of Illinois.
Hazley advertised the teen, Desiree Robinson, on the classifieds website Backpage.com, arranging multiple sexual meetups in December of 2016, prosecutors said. Early that Christmas Eve, Hazley drove Robinson to south suburban Markham to meet a customer, identified as Antonio Rosales.
Rosales then killed Robinson in his garage while Hazley sat in his car outside, prosecutors said.
Rosales is awaiting trial in Cook County on first-degree murder and aggravated sexual abuse charges.
Hazley faces up to life in prison, prosecutors said. His sentencing is set for June 4.
Hazley is the second person convicted in connection with Robinson’s case. Charles McFee, the man who allegedly sold Robinson to Hazley, was convicted last year on one count of sex trafficking conspiracy.