Virginia Man Sentenced To 16 Months In Prison For Pandering Woman He Lured To District Of Columbia-Defendant Advertised Himself As Security For Fake Escort Business-

     WASHINGTON – John Burrell Crist, 44, was sentenced today to 16 months in prison after earlier pleading guilty to two felony counts of pandering for inducing and compelling a woman to engage in prostitution in various sections of the District of Columbia, U.S. Attorney Ronald C. Machen Jr. announced.

     Crist, of Alexandria, Va., pled guilty in June 2014 in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. He was sentenced by the Honorable John Ramsey Johnson. Upon completion of his prison term, Crist will be placed on three years of supervised release.

     According to the government’s evidence, Crist posted ads on Backpage.com soliciting partners for his alleged escort business, promising to provide transportation and security for the dates in exchange for half of the profits.  Enticed by one of these ads, the victim agreed to meet Crist.  Crist picked the victim up from Union Station and housed her in his Alexandria home.  Crist would screen the calls for “dates,” telling the victim, who was unfamiliar with the District of Columbia, where she could and could not agree to go for dates, to which he would then provide the transportation.  The criminal activities began on April 20, 2014. Within days, Crist turned violent against the victim, beating her, taking all of her possessions, identification, and money as she was forced to continue to prostitute.  

     Crist came to the attention of the Metropolitan Police Department after he beat the victim in a public parking lot in the District of Columbia on April 28, 2014.

     In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Machen commended the work performed by those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department.  He also praised those who handled the case for the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Paralegal Specialist D’Yvonne Key and Assistant U.S. Attorney Mervin A. Bourne, Jr., who investigated and prosecuted the matter.