ST. GEORGE — A man with an extensive criminal history of making money through the sexual exploitation of others faced the judge in a St. George courtroom last week.
On Thursday, Elton Castine, 34, of Reno, Nevada, appeared in 5th District Court for sentencing on two second-degree felony charges, including one count of possession to distribute a controlled substance and one count of benefiting from human trafficking for sexual exploitation.
The case derives from a traffic stop conducted Oct. 16, 2024, on Brigham Road in St. George, when officers found fentanyl, cocaine and other illegal narcotics during a search of the vehicle, as previously reported by St. George News. Police arrested Castine and the woman driving on drug charges.
While police initially arrested Castine and the female driver on drug charges, investigators say they discovered the woman was being sex trafficked by Castine, who would not allow her to return home. He reportedly isolated the woman and threatened to kill her on more than one occasion.
