Corrie Gillispie
A federal jury on Wednesday morning found Corrie Gillispie guilty of six counts in his sex trafficking trial.
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 panel found him not guilty of another charge of transporting a person across state lines for prostitution.
Prosecutors said earlier that Gillispie faced up to life in prison if convicted.
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.
Gillispie spent most of the trial out of the courtroom because of verbal outbursts.
He said he wanted to make a statement before the jury, but Judge Travis McDonough did not allow it because Gillispie would not agree to the rules of court, including cross-examination. Also, the judge gave Gillispie time to walk over and take the witness stand, and he did not.
Jay Woods was the prosecutor.