Phoenix Child Sex Trafficking Lawyer

Charged with a Child Sex Trafficking Offense? Call Us 24/7

A child sex trafficking charge can put decades in prison, sex offender registration, and permanent damage to your future on the table. These cases often begin before charges are filed, when detectives are gathering phone data, serving warrants, interviewing witnesses, reviewing online communications, or pressuring people to make statements.

If you’ve been charged under A.R.S. § 13-3212 or believe you are under investigation, you should involve a defense attorney immediately. At MayesTelles PLLC, we defend serious sex crime cases throughout Arizona and move quickly to protect clients before the State controls the case. Our first steps may include:

• Intervening before police interviews. We communicate with detectives and prosecutors so you do not make statements that can be used against you. 
• Protecting phones, accounts, and digital evidence. We review search warrants, device seizures, messages, app data, cloud records, and online communications. 
• Challenging the State’s trafficking theory. We examine whether prosecutors can prove knowledge, age-related elements, intent, alleged benefit, transportation, recruitment, or facilitation. 
• Preparing for high-stakes litigation. These cases require a trial-ready defense from the start, especially when prosecutors stack related charges. 

Founding Partner David V. Telles is a former Sex Crimes Unit prosecutor who has handled these cases from both sides. Combined with a team that includes former law enforcement and 200+ years of combined experience, MayesTelles PLLC brings firsthand knowledge of how these investigations are built and how to fight back.

Call (602) 428-7104 to speak with a Phoenix child sex trafficking attorney in a free consultation.

Understanding Child Sex Trafficking Charges in Arizona

Arizona’s child sex trafficking statute covers a broad range of alleged conduct involving minors and prostitution or sexually explicit performance. The statute reaches far beyond allegations of force and can apply to people accused of arranging, transporting, recruiting, financing, managing, supervising, benefiting from, or providing a means for the alleged conduct.

Under A.R.S. § 13-3212(A), child sex trafficking may include knowingly:

• Causing, using, or permitting a minor to engage in prostitution 
• Receiving a benefit from placing or procuring a minor for prostitution 
• Participating in proceeds from prostitution involving a minor 
• Financing, managing, supervising, controlling, or owning prostitution activity involving a minor 
• Transporting or financing transportation of a minor for prostitution 
• Providing a means by which a minor engages in prostitution 
• Recruiting, harboring, transporting, making available, or obtaining a minor for prostitution or a sexually explicit performance 

The statute also includes separate provisions involving adults accused of engaging in prostitution with a minor or with another person for the purpose of facilitating prostitution of a minor. Age matters, and the penalties can change sharply depending on whether the alleged minor was under 15 or was 15, 16, or 17. 

What Prosecutors Must Prove

Child sex trafficking cases often turn on the exact subsection charged. Prosecutors may use the phrase “trafficking” broadly, but the defense has to force the State to prove the specific conduct alleged by the statute.

In practice, the fight often centers on:

• Knowledge and intent — What did the accused person actually know, and what does the State claim they intended? 
• Age-related allegations — What can the State prove about the alleged minor’s age, what the accused knew, and which subsection applies? 
• Role in the alleged conduct — Is the State proving direct involvement, or stretching association, transportation, housing, money, or communication into a trafficking theory? 
• Digital and witness evidence — Do messages, ads, payment records, phone extractions, or witness statements actually prove the charged offense? 

These cases often involve aggressive charging decisions. We can examine whether prosecutors are relying on direct evidence or building a case from assumptions, cooperating witnesses, incomplete digital records, or statements taken out of context.

Penalties for Child Sex Trafficking in Arizona

Child sex trafficking can carry severe punishment. Many violations are Class 2 felonies, and certain allegations involving minors under 15 are punished under Arizona’s dangerous crimes against children (DCAC) statute. A.R.S. § 13-3212 also states that a sentence imposed under this section must run consecutive to any other sentence imposed. 

• For allegations involving a minor who is 15, 16, or 17 under subsection A, a first offense carries 13 to 27 years in prison, with a presumptive term of 20 years. With prior felony convictions, the range can increase substantially. 
• For certain subsection B allegations involving a minor who is 15, 16, or 17, a first offense carries 7 to 21 years in prison, with a presumptive term of 10.5 years.
• If the alleged minor is under 15, child sex trafficking under subsection A is punished under Arizona’s DCAC statute, which carries severe prison time (upwards of 20 years) and strict limits on release eligibility.

The prison range is only part of the risk. A conviction can also affect:

• Sex offender registration 
• Immigration status for non-citizens
• Employment and professional licensing 
• Housing, custody, and reputation 
• Future sentencing exposure if another case is filed 

Federal prosecution may also be possible, particularly when allegations involve interstate communications, online platforms, travel, or federal agencies. Federal charges under 18 U.S.C. § 1591 carry their own sentencing rules and mandatory minimums. Our team at MayesTelles PLLC handles both state and federal charges.

What We Challenge in Child Sex Trafficking Cases

A serious defense requires close review of the State’s evidence, charging theory, and investigation methods. These cases are often emotionally charged, but the government still has to prove the case beyond a reasonable doubt.

We look closely at:

• Digital evidence. Messages, ads, app data, location records, and phone extractions need context and careful review. 
• Witness credibility. Cooperating witnesses, alleged participants, and people seeking favorable treatment may have reasons to shade the facts. 
• Age and knowledge issues. The alleged minor’s age, the accused person’s knowledge, and the charged subsection can change the entire case. 
• Search and seizure issues. Phones, homes, hotel rooms, vehicles, and cloud accounts raise constitutional questions. 
• Overcharging. The State may file multiple counts to increase pressure, especially when the evidence involves several people, locations, devices, or communications. 

Get Started on Your Defense Now

If you were arrested, charged, or contacted by police about child sex trafficking allegations, speak with a defense attorney now. These are among the most serious allegations prosecutors can bring, and they place your entire future on the line. 

Our attorneys at MayesTelles defend clients facing child sex trafficking charges in state and federal courts across Arizona. Call (602) 428-7104 or contact us online for a FREE consultation.