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OGDEN, Utah (AP) — A 25-year-old man who pleaded guilty to human trafficking after authorities said he brought high-school students across state lines for prostitution will serve prison time.
The Standard-Examiner reports Quinlen N. Atkinson got a one-to-15-year sentence in Ogden on Wednesday.
He was accused of recruiting the girls aged 17 and 18 into sex work and taking them to Nevada and Idaho for prostitution.
He pleaded guilty to human trafficking in an agreement with prosecutors who dropped three counts, including aggravated exploitation of a child prostitute, in exchange.
The investigation by the Utah Attorney General's SECURE strike force started after authorities found online sexual-services ads.
Utah Attorney General Sean Reyes calls the case a "repulsive" example of exploitation and abuse of young people.
Atkinson's lawyer didn't immediately return a calls seeking comment on the case.
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