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Marlin Santana Thomas, 46, has been sentenced to life imprisonment by United States District Court Chief Judge John A. Jarvey for sex-trafficking charges on Nov. 15, as announced by United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal.
“On November 15, 2021, Marlin Santana Thomas, age 46, of Des Moines was sentenced by United States District Court Chief Judge John A. Jarvey to life in prison for sex trafficking six victims by force, fraud and coercion,” said the Department of Justice in a press release.
Thomas was ordered to pay $600 to the Crime Victims’ Fund, and a restitution hearing is now set for early February 2022.
Thomas pleaded guilty to sex trafficking charges, six adults and a minor. Thomas started trafficking people in 2009.
In addition, the Des Moines Police Department made contact with an additional 11 women that Thomas raped, physically assaulted and/or attempted to traffic. As part of the plea agreement, Thomas has admitted to committing physical violence against all the victims. He forced them into engaging in sex acts with him. He even accepted that after one of the victims told Thomas that she no longer wanted to work with him, he assaulted her in her home and punched another victim in the face.
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