STAMFORD, Conn. — A 39-year-old Bridgeport woman was sentenced Tuesday to 15 years in prison for trafficking minors for prostitution, but will serve only six years behind bars under a plea deal.
Teresa Martinez pleaded guilty in August to charges of trafficking in persons and risk of injury to a minor at Stamford Superior Court. On October 3, Judge Colleen Zingaro sentenced Martinez to 15 years, with the sentence suspended after six years served. She will then serve five years of probation.
The reduced sentence came as part of a plea agreement, which was more lenient than the state’s initial offer of nine years in prison.
Court documents reveal that Martinez arranged transportation for three minors from Bridgeport to a Norwalk hotel for prostitution starting in late 2020. All victims were under 18, with one younger than 16.
One minor was reportedly paid $200 for sexual services with a co-defendant, with Martinez keeping half of the payment. Norwalk Police confirmed the minors’ accounts and verified hotel records. The co-defendant paid in cash and booked hotel rooms on the days the acts occurred.
The co-defendant’s criminal case is still pending in Stamford Superior Court.
