Sonoma Co. Man Gets 6-Year Sentence For Human Trafficking Of Minor

A Cotati man was sentenced in Sonoma County Superior Court on Thursday to six years in prison for pimping a minor and statutory rape.

Abdelaziz Jamal Thomas, 39, was arrested in June 2014 after a 16-year-old girl and her mother informed Cotati police about human trafficking involving Thomas and two other suspects, including a 19-year-old woman.

The victim said Thomas beat her, threatened to kill her and trafficked her throughout the North Bay, Oregon, Arizona and Los Angeles, Sonoma County District Attorney Jill Ravitch said. Thomas used websites, hotel rooms and rental cars in contacting johns, Ravitch said.

The victim also claimed the suspects kept the money from the human trafficking and that she had sex multiple times with Thomas, Cotati police said.

“Mr. Thomas provides a real-life example in our own community of the effects of this type of exploitation. This young victim was physically, emotionally and sexually violated to satisfy the defendant’s personal greed,” Ravitch said.

Thomas was sentenced to six years for pimping and one-year concurrent for statutory rape.

--Bay City News