United States v. Martinez

CHIN, Circuit Judge:

In this case, a jury convicted defendant-appellant Dennis Paris of sex trafficking crimes, including sex trafficking of minors and sex trafficking by force, fraud, or coercion. The evidence showed that for more than five years, Paris operated a prostitution business in and around Hartford, Connecticut, exploiting and abusing young women and teenage girls. The district court (Droney, J.) sentenced Paris principally to thirty years’ imprisonment.

During the jury selection process, each side raised an objection pursuant to Batson v. Kentucky, arguing that the other side had…