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Mother of slain Chicago teen who was victim of sex trafficking attends White House bill signing

The SouthtownStar - 4/12/2018

April 12--Standing beside President Donald Trump Wednesday as he signed into law an anti-online sex trafficking bill that she'd tearfully testified in support of last fall, Yvonne Ambrose experienced a mix of emotions.

"It was bittersweet," said Ambrose, whose 16-year-old daughter Desiree Robinson was found slain in a Markham garage in December 2016 after being sold for sex online.

"Going to the White House and being a part of this bill becoming law has been a great experience," the Chicago woman said in an interview with the Daily Southtown. "And it was also sad that Desiree was not there to celebrate this moment with us."

The bill, known as the "Allow States and Victims to Fight Online Sex Trafficking Act," or FOSTA, clarifies the protections of the Communications Decency Act and amends the federal criminal codes on interstate prostitution and sex trafficking of children.

The legislation stemmed from concerns that classified-ad sites like Backpage.com could claim they were not the publisher of questionable content but were merely displaying posts by others.

"From a legal perspective, this law is a very important clarification to Section 230 of the (Communications Decency Act), making it very clear that victims and survivors (of sex trafficking) can maintain a cause of action against websites like Backpage.com," said Gina DeBoni, an attorney for Robinson's family. "They can no longer hide like they once had tried to do."

Robinson, who was described at her funeral as a caring and multi-talented teen who excelled in the classroom and out of it, was found dead inside a garage in the 16200 block of South Hamlin Avenue in Markham on the morning of Dec. 24, 2016.

Prosecutors allege she was a victim of sex trafficking and was killed by a sex buyer after refusing his demand for free sex.

An autopsy determined she was beaten and strangled and that her throat had been slit, authorities said.

Two men were charged in connection with trafficking Robinson and another is charged with first-degree murder and aggravated sexual abuse in her death.

One of the men, 26-year-old Joseph McFee, pleaded guilty earlier this month to one count of sex trafficking conspiracy for his role in bringing Robinson to the man prosecutors say trafficked her.

In a deal with prosecutors, McFee agreed to testify against alleged trafficker Joseph Hazley at his upcoming trial in exchange for a recommended prison term of up to 7 1/2 years.

Ambrose, who was in court when McFee pleaded guilty on April 3, said the experience was emotional for her.

"As a mother losing your child, you want (accountability) for people exploiting your child," said Ambrose, who is expected to testify in Hazley's case on April 23. "At the end of the day, it was stressful...but it was more of, I'm getting justice for my child."

Since her daughter's death, Ambrose has waged a spirited fight against online sex trafficking that's included suing Backpage and providing testimony before the Senate Commerce Commission in September in support of the bill that went on to become FOSTA.

"Once this happened with Desiree," Ambrose said, "the first thing that came to mind was: This can't continue to happen to other people."

She said in a statement Wednesday that the signing of FOSTA offered proof that the fight against online sex trafficking had made a change that would save lives.

DeBoni called it "a monumental step" in the direction toward meaningful change.

"It makes me so sad because I'm never going to be able to meet Desiree," she said, "but I know this law represents the change she wanted to see in this world."

Trump's signing of FOSTA comes days after federal authorities seized all of Backpage's websites around the world and indicted seven top Backpage officials, including its founders Michael Lacey and James Larkin, on charges of conspiracy, facilitating prostitution and money laundering.

"It's what we knew all along," DeBoni said of the indictments. "And that's that Backpage.com knowingly was involved in the illegal trafficking of women and children.

"This indictment says, 'No more.' If you do it, you're going to be held accountable."

zkoeske@tribpub.com

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(c)2018 The Daily Southtown (Tinley Park, Ill.)

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