LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Years after their initial arrests, three people pleaded guilty to charges around prostitution and human trafficking.
Nigel Nicholas pleaded guilty to two counts of Promoting Prostitution and was sentenced to five years to serve.
Abigail Varney pleaded guilty to Promoting Human Trafficking, Distribution of Child Pornography, and Possession of Child Pornography. She was sentenced to five years to serve.
Quentin Burris pleaded guilty to Promoting Human Trafficking and was sentenced to five years to serve.
Chris Foster said these convictions send a message. Foster was the prosecutor on the case for The Commonwealth's Attorney's Office in Jefferson County.
"They send an important message to the victims, they send an important message to the perpetrators of human trafficking," Foster said. "That these cases are taken seriously, that they will be prosecuted and that there is the potential for people to go to prison."
Amy Leenerts felt, "overwhelmed, just so happy. We have a conviction."
These convictions reinforce hope, something Leenerts knows well. She's the Executive Director of Free2Hope in Louisville's Portland neighborhood, where she provides meals and resources to women impacted by human trafficking, prostitution, or homelessness.
Free2Hope serves 30-40 women every week.
"I mean that's what we've been waiting for," Leenerts said about the convictions. "Now I would have loved it if they had gotten more time, but we needed some of these wins."
Reporting these crimes can lead to more convictions. If you believe you have information about a human trafficking situation, you can call the Human Trafficking Hotline at 1-888-373-7888 or visit their website for resources.
► Contact reporter Tom Lally at TLally@whas11.com or on Facebook or Twitter.
►Make it easy to keep up-to-date with more stories like this. Download the WHAS11 News app now. For Apple or Android users.
Have a news tip? Email assign@whas11.com, visit our Facebook page or Twitter feed.