Mike Jeffries, who his lawyers say also has Alzheimer's disease, has pleaded not guilty to one count of sex trafficking and 15 counts of interstate prostitution.

Summary

Former Abercrombie & Fitch CEO Mike Jeffries, facing sex trafficking and interstate prostitution charges, has been diagnosed with dementia and late-onset Alzheimer’s, according to court filings.

Jeffries, 80, and co-defendants allegedly ran an international sex trafficking ring from 2008 to 2015, coercing young men, some financially vulnerable or with ties to Abercrombie, into sex acts for career opportunities.

Prosecutors claim victims were intimidated, drugged, and paid large sums.

Jeffries, under house arrest since October, has pleaded not guilty, with a competency hearing scheduled for June.

      • Hawk@lemmynsfw.com
        0·
        1 day ago

        It also challenges the justification for incarceration.

        Some jurisdictions have policy specifying incarceration should be preserved to protect community safety, clearly not an issue for an individual who suffers from this disease. Although clearly there are also sentencing guidelines and the community would want this individual sentenced. However, it makes it clearer that the sentence is punitive, which feels justified but does nothing to undo the harm and has a limited impact on future offending by other individuals.

        If only public policy served to prevent victimisation in the first place.

        • foggy@lemmy.world
          0·
          1 day ago

          Some jurisdictions have policy specifying incarceration should be preserved to protect community safety, clearly not an issue for an individual who suffers from this disease.

          I’m sorry, not sure if I read this right.

          Are you suggesting that having dimentia makes someone inherently not dangerous? Someone with a history of sex trafficking?

          Because that’d be pretty absurd.

          • Hawk@lemmynsfw.com
            0·
            1 day ago

            No I’m not suggesting it doesn’t make them dangerous. Obviously that’s a matter of how serious dementia is.

            If it’s mild it’s possible they could be more dangerous not less.

            I’ve lost family members to dementia and when it’s quite severe they’re unable to even eat, so then obviously they’re no danger to society.

            I’m simply reflecting on how ineffective our current criminal justice system is. By all means, lock up sex offenders. I just wish we could stop the victimisation from occurring in the first place.

            I’ve also had family members who were victims of child sexual assault, and police just don’t give a fuck, let alone social services.