Man gets probation for promoting prostitution

Staff report

YOUNGSTOWN

A Columbiana man received five years’ probation for advertising his girlfriend’s services as a prostitute on an online classified website.

Marcus Huffman, 32, of Country View Circle, pleaded guilty to promoting prostitution and possession of criminal tools in September.

Beaver Township police initially pursued the case as a human-trafficking investigation.

Huffman and his girlfriend were addicted to drugs and kicked out of their house when he decided to list her online in an attempt to make money, prosecutors said.

While his girlfriend initially told police Huffman forced her into prostitution, she later stopped cooperating with prosecutors who were unable to prove those charges.

“What me and my other half did was really, really stupid,” Huffman said. “I’m just trying to get things back to normal.”

Judge R. Scott Krichbaum said drug abuse may be an explanation, but it’s not an excuse.

He sentenced Huffman to a maximum five years’ probation under the conditions that Huffman completes drug treatment and does not possess drugs or alcohol.