TAUNTON, MASS. (WHDH) - A Taunton man who drugged, beat, and sex trafficked a young woman with cognitive disabilities will spend the next seven to 10 years behind bars, a judge ruled Tuesday.
Peter Raymond, 33, met the victim online in 2014 and arranged for her to move into his apartment under the pretense that they were in a relationship. But prosecutors proved Raymond held her against her will, drugged her, beat her, and arranged for her to have sex for money through backpage.com, a website that has since been seized by the federal government.
The judge who sentenced Raymond in Fall River District Court handed down a longer sentence than the state-mandated five-year sentence that a human trafficking conviction carries.
The victim, who is now 24, delivered a victim impact statement prior to the sentencing.
Raymond’ sister, who has already served jail time in connection with the abuse, yelled, “I love you” as he was being led out of court.
Raymond’s sentencing comes as a largescale sex trafficking investigation in Florida has ensnared New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft and thrown a spotlight on the issue.
Quinn said human trafficking is a problem that is getting worse.
“This appears to be an issue that is growing,” he said. “In this case, I’m very pleased about bringing a conviction and an appropriate sentence.”
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