Minnesota Judges Failed to Impose Sex Crime Fine

MINNEAPOLIS (AP)-- A TV station's analysis of court records has found that Minnesota judges frequently failed to impose mandatory fines on convicted sex traffickers and buyers.

KARE-TV analyzed sex trafficking convictions from 2011 to 2017. Records show
that 118 of 196 convicted sex traffickers were never ordered to pay the fine.

State lawmakers in 2011 updated a law that requires convicted sex traffickers and
buyers pay a fine.

The "Prostitution Assessment'' fine ranges from $500 to $1,000 depending on the specific charge. The law says courts can't waive the fee.

Funds raised by the fines are meant to provide support services to survivors of sex
trafficking and to train police and prosecutors to better combat sexual exploitation.

The station's analysis says the anti-trafficking programs have lost at least $250,000 in the past seven years.