A jury found a woman guilty of prostituting her 14-year-old daughter to help pay off a debt to the man her daughter was forced to have sex with, Montgomery County State's Attorney John McCarthy announced Friday.
That man, Bejarni Rivas, was found guilty in absentia, as his whereabouts are unknown.
Rivas, 45, was found guilty two counts of human trafficking, two counts of sex abuse of a minor, two counts of sex offense in the third degree, one count of solicitation of sex with a minor and two counts of conspiracy.
In March, the victim reported to Montgomery County police that her mother forced her to engage in sexual activity with Rivas, who she owed $5,000, according to the state's attorney.
The girl told Child Protective Services that in December 2012, her mother took her to Rivas and then informed her that their meeting was so Bejarni could touch her in exchange for money, authorities said. Rivas then took the child to the men's dressing room at Georgian Colonies Club House in Silver Spring, Md., and molested her. He then paid the child $100.
Two weeks later, Rivas met the girl and her mother at a Rockville gas station and proceeded to the same clubhouse, where Rivas took the victim to a women's changing room where the girl refused to perform sexual acts. She returned to her mother in the parking lot and begged her mother not to make her have sex with Rivas, but instead of sympathizing her mother reportedly told the girl, "I've done bad things to make you have a good life. Go with him."
Rivas had sex with the girl despite her protests and pleas to stop because of the pain, authorities said.
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Afterward, Rivas drove to a 7-Eleven ATM, withdrew cash and asked the child if she would have sex with him again. She said she wasn't sure and was again given $100, according to the state's attorney. Her mother then promised she would never have to have sex with Rivas again.
Then on March 23, her mother told her Rivas was coming to their Germantown apartment for sex for $140. The girl refused and was "grounded" and left alone in the apartment, authorities said. When Rivas showed up, the girl refused to let him inside. Her mother called and demanded she let Rivas do what he wanted, and when he returned, she fled to a relative's home.
The girl's cousin informed investigators that Rivas has a reputation for engaging in sexual relationships with young girls and that he had tried to cultivate the same type of relationship with her when she was younger, though she declined.
About midnight, the mother went to the police department, waived her rights and told investigators that she had no part in prostituting her daughter to Rivas. She further claimed that she had no knowledge of Rivas raping the girl. But she admitted she owed Rivas money and had left her daughter alone with him.
A jury found the mother guilty of 10 counts, including rape in the second-degree and two counts of human trafficking of a minor.
Rivas is facing more than 100 years in prison at sentencing.
