Sex Trafficking? State Attorney Explains Why Matt Gaetz’s Alleged Relationship With 17-Year-Old Is Potentially So Serious
Florida State Attorney Dave Aronberg appeared on Morning Joe Wednesday morning and provided legal insight into the bombshell New York Times report that Rep. Matt Gaetz is being investigated by the Department of Justice for sex trafficking. Yes, sex trafficking.
The charges stem from what is reported to be an inappropriate and alleged sexual relationship with a 17-year-old girl, which legally makes her a minor, but sex trafficking? Host Joe Scarborough asked Aronberg for clarification, which he delivered in a notably plain-spoken way.
The Morning Joe host—and long-time friend of the Gaetz family—noted confusion about the specific charges and cited questions raised by legal analysts about the “sex trafficking term,” suggesting that even Rep. Gaetz would like clarification. “Sex trafficking is a very specific crime,” Scarborough noted. “If he was with a 17-year-old woman, that might not be sex trafficking. We need to be careful with the words that we are saying that we’re not overselling this.”
“So, that’s why we wanted to get you on,” he added. “Lay it out. Tell us, based on what you know, what the FBI is most likely investigating.”
“Child sex trafficking is a very serious felony under both federal and state law. It’s punishable by up to life in prison,” Aronberg replied. “It’s when you recruit, entice, harbor, and in this case, most importantly, transport, provide or maintain a minor for commercial sex purposes.”
The Palm Beach State Attorney continued to explain what exactly comprises a commercial sex purpose. “It’s defined very broadly under federal law to be any sex act in exchange for anything of value,” he noted. “That includes flights, hotel rooms, that includes expenses. All things that Matt Gaetz admitted to providing to his dates but he is adamant he never dated an underage individual.”
“For the government to show child sex trafficking, you have to show that the victim here was 17 or under, a minor. And that Matt Gaetz knew or should have known of her age,” he added.
Sex trafficking charges are no joke and as Aronberg explains, they are a “second-degree felony punishable by up to 15 years in state prison.” Even if the DOJ cannot connect the hotel room and airline ticket expenses to sex acts, the state could also charge Gaetz with “solicitation of sexual activity with a minor,” Aronberg continued. “That’s a third-degree felony punishable by up to five years in prison.”
“But let’s not get ahead of ourselves,” the Florida state attorney concluded with the following caveat. ” We don’t have any public evidence that shows that he has committed these crimes. But if you’re a public official, the last thing you want is for your name to be associated with the phrase child sex trafficking.”
Watch above via MSNBC.
