DENVER – A landmark decision was reached in a Denver courtroom on Thursday, as Robert Hawkins became the recipient of the longest sentence ever given to a human trafficker in the United States. The convicted trafficker was sentenced to 448 years in prison by Judge Kandace Gerdes following a jury's March conviction on 18 counts, including human trafficking, pimping, sex assault, and exploitation, some involving minors.

In a powerful display of courage and resilience, the victims of Hawkins, including four women, two girls, and one man, provided emotional testimony in the courtroom. Prosecutor Beth McCann condemned Hawkins' despicable actions, noting that between 2018 and 2021, he exploited four adult women and two children in Denver, using physical violence and threats to maintain control and profiting from the sale of their bodies.

Of particular note was the testimony of a 13-year-old victim, who revealed that she was manipulated by Hawkins when he was 40 years old, highlighting the insidious nature of the crimes perpetrated by the convicted human trafficker.

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In addition to the unprecedented prison sentence, Hawkins will be designated as a sexual predator and habitual criminal, a significant indication of the severity of his crimes. The Denver District Attorney emphasized that the harsh sentence was intended to send a resounding message that human trafficking will not be tolerated in the community and will be aggressively prosecuted.

Hawkins' defense counsel, who recommended a 40-year sentence initially proposed as part of a plea deal, expressed doubt in the severity of the victims' accounts while also indicating that Hawkins refrained from speaking at the hearing on the advice of his legal team in anticipation of an appeal.

Prosecutors cited Hawkins' extensive history, including 57 offenses in over 20 cases that were dismissed between 1997-2003 and a prior charge involving the pimping of a child for which he was placed on probation, underscoring the habitual nature of his criminal behavior.

The severity of Hawkins' sentence and the emotional testimony provided by the victims exemplifies the profound impact of his reprehensible actions, shedding light on the vital need for stringent measures to combat and bring perpetrators of human trafficking to justice.

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