VANCOUVER — A British Columbia man convicted of trafficking underage girls for sex has been handed a 23-year prison sentence, three more years than even the Crown requested.
Reza Moazami will be given five years' credit for time served awaiting trial, meaning his remaining sentence is just under 18 years.
B.C. Supreme Court Justice Catherine Bruce says Moazami manipulated and exploited young girls and that his actions were egregious.
Court heard Moazami recruited young, at-risk girls by promising them alcohol, drugs and in at least one case, a puppy, and then threatened to harm the dog if the girl didn't follow orders.
Moazami testified that he wasn't aware his victims were underage and that he wasn't living off the money they earned while having sex with an average of 12 men a day.
Moazami's lawyer had asked for a 10- to 12-year sentence.
