Woman to Stand Trial for Allegedly Pimping out 14-Year-Old

RIVERSIDE - A young woman accused of putting a 14-year-old runaway girl to work as a prostitute must stand trial on human trafficking and other charges, a judge ruled today.

Kayla Corithian Jackson, 18, was arrested March 7 at a Moreno Valley motel where she allegedly rented a room as part of a sex-for-money operation. Prosecutors allege that, at Jackson's direction, the teenage victim provided sexual services for men who responded to an ad posted on social networking sites.

Following a preliminary hearing at the Riverside Hall of Justice, Riverside County Superior Court Judge Christian Thierbach determined there was sufficient evidence to bound Jackson over for trial on one count each of human trafficking, pimping, pandering, conspiracy and transporting a minor for lewd or lascivious purposes.

Thierbach scheduled a post-preliminary hearing arraignment for Oct. 2. Jackson is free on $85,000 bail.

According to prosecutors, the victim, whose identity was not released, left her Moreno Valley home in late February without telling her mother where she was going or with whom.

When her daughter failed to return, the woman suspected the teen might be with Jackson, with whom she had associated for an ''undetermined period of time,'' Supervising Deputy District Attorney Gerald Fineman told City News Service.

He said the victim's mother reported her daughter missing on March 1, leading to an investigation by the county's Anti-Human Trafficking Task Force.

Investigators checked websites where ads for escorts are posted and came upon a mobile phone number belonging to the girl, according to sheriff's officials.

Deputies working undercover made several calls and were able to determine the youth's whereabouts -- a motel at the intersection of Alessandro Boulevard and Graham Street -- culminating in Jackson's arrest, sheriff's officials said.

The girl, who had been at the location for about a day, was found unharmed, Fineman said.

According to investigators, Jackson's phone records allegedly indicated she had been engaged in illicit sexual activity prior to her March 7 arrest.

If convicted of all counts, the defendant could face 16 years behind bars.