Corrie Gillispie
A Chattanooga man who ran a prostitute ring with an iron hand has been sentenced to serve 33 years in federal prison.
Corrie Gillispie appeared on Friday before Judge Travis McDonough.
A jury in April found Gillispie guilty of six counts in his sex trafficking trial. He was given 32 years on those counts and a consecutive 12 months for contempt of court. Gillispie continually disrupted the trial with outbursts and was frequently out of the courtroom during testimony.
Gillispie was ruled guilty of two counts of sex trafficking, two counts of kidnapping, one count of transporting a person across state lines for prostitution, and one count of money laundering.
The jury found him not guilty of another charge of transporting a person across state lines for prostitution.
Three women who worked as prostitutes for him in Chattanooga said Gillispie exercised total control over them and threatened them not to leave. One said he beat her numerous times.
Prosecutor Jay Woods asked that the judge issue a forfeiture against Gillispie of a 1986 Chevrolet Caprice; a1995 Buick LaSabre, a 2000 Cadillac Deville, a 2000 GMC Savannah, a 2009 Maserati Quattroporte sedan, a 2010 Chevrolet Equinox; a 2013 Ford Fusion and a $725,000 cash penalty representing the proceeds of the interstate sex ring.
Judge McDonough said he would rule later on that issue.
Willie Watkins, who was also charged as a Gillispie accomplice, got time served.