CENTENNIAL, Colo. — Sean Crumpler is facing 50 years in prison after pleading guilty Monday afternoon to three counts of sex trafficking.
The 50-year old was originally charged with 21 counts in September 2015 after investigators discovered he was living with a dozen young men between the ages of 16 and 21 in an Aurora rental home.
Prosecutors say Crumpler offered free housing to gay runways in exchange for sex, some of whom where minors.
Crumpler tattooed his name “Sean” on the forearms of his victims.
“There was this intent to create a family-like commitment to one another that transcended the emotional and did include some of this tagging in essence of the people that were part of this group,” said Arapahoe County District Attorney George Brauchler.
In January, while free on bail, investigators discovered Crumpler was still housing two underage boys at a Westminister hotel he would visit.
It was a clear violation of his bond, and led to Crumpler’s rearrest and a higher bond that kept him in jail until Monday’s plea deal.
Brauchler said Crumpler will be sentenced in May and believes a 50-year sentence will be a de-facto life sentence for the HIV-positive man.
“This is a real crime occurring in our community right here in middle class America with kids that are pulled here from all over and victimized. So if it does have that deterrent effect because of the number of years, all the better,” Brauchler said.
Minutes before Crumpler plead guilty, his two co-defendants also plead guilty. Ricardo Barron and Coddie Favela were each sentenced to six years probation for contributing to the delinquency of a minor.
Prosecutors say both men helped recruit young boys for Crumpler. The two lived with Crumpler and claimed they were recruited by Crumpler when they were minors.
As a result, and because they provided evidence against Crumpler, prosecutors said they went easy on the two men. Both will also have to participate in a sex trafficking education program.