Corrie Gillispie
Attorneys told a Federal Jury on Tuesday that a Chattanooga pimp had a harem of "sister wives" operating from a house in East Lake.
The jury was told that Corrie Gillispie was driving a Maserati from his prostitution profits and had the women so under his sway that many of them bore tattoos with his nickname "Tyme." Some had portraits of him emblazoned on their bodies, including one that had his image featured on her neck. It was testified that Larry on Ringgold Road in East Ridge was the tattoo artist for the women.
Attorney Clay Whittaker maintained that the women at the house were working as prostitutes voluntarily. He said, "They didn't know they were victims until the government told them they were."
It was testified that Gillispie was romantic with some of the women and was "friends" with others. Attorney Whittaker said the women were able to live together amicably "as strange as that may sound."
The operation in East Ridge was not unique, he said. "Similar things are going on all over the country."
Prosecutor Jay Woods said the jury would hear from four prostitutes who worked for Gillispie. He said the jury would hear tales of how they were forced into the business and kept there by him through "force, threats and coercion."
He said Gillispie met a woman from Rome, Ga., and promised he would make her a super model. He said she got into his car in Rome and they headed immediately for Chattanooga. He said Gillispie began advertising for her services on Backpage.com.
The defense attorney, in the courtroom of Judge Travis McDonough, said the women had numerous opportunities to leave, but they chose to stay.
He called Gillispie "a P.T. Barnum - a promoter."
The loquacious Gillispie has already been removed from the courtroom several times due to verbal outbursts. He started out at the defense table on Tuesday morning, but was escorted out after he said he wanted to make his own opening statement to the jury. He was taken to an area where he could watch and listen to the proceedings.
It was unclear whether co-defendant Willie Watkins would testify for the government. It was announced on the eve of the Gillispie trial that he had reached agreement to plead guilty to conspiracy to transport individuals for the purpose of prostitution. The agreement says Willie Watkins faces up to five years in prison on the plea.
Authorities at the time of their arrests in 2016 said Watkins and Gillispie faced up to life in prison for conspiracy, kidnapping, and sex trafficking. Those charges are still pending against Watkins and Gillispie, but the plea agreement for Watkins says those will be dismissed. Gillispie faces 10 charges, including kidnapping and sex trafficking.
The panel heard a short clip of an hour and 22-minute video that was found in a storage unit rented by Gillispie. A Homeland Security agent said there were over 100 copies of "Follow My Lead - Keep On Pimping" starring Gillispie.
On the clip, Gillispie berated a woman using foul language, and she responded by acting remorseful and calling him "Daddy."
The government subpoenaed thousands of pages from Gillispie Facebook sites with some photos showing him displaying wads of cash.
In one picture, he is standing in front of five women who worked for him.
Gillispie said in a post he had "a houseful of women all tatted down. Some are good friends and some are part of my mob."
The agent agreed that many of the customers of the women were Hispanics in the country illegally, who would walk over from the Rossville Boulevard area.
Witnesses told of a sting operation at the Motel 6 in Calhoun, Ga., in 2009 in which an undercover officer answered an ad on Craigslist. The woman who showed up at the motel room had been dropped off by Gillispie. His car was stopped nearby.
Attorney Whittaker said the government knew as early as 2008 about the Gillispie operation "but let it go on for years."