Corrie Gillispie
Federal Judge Travis McDonough has sentenced a Chattanooga pimp to an extra six months in federal prison due to his behavior during his recent trial on kidnapping and sex trafficking.
The judge found Corrie Gillispie guilty of contempt of court.
Judge McDonough said Gillispie would talk over him and others each time there was an attempt to bring him to trial. He said he did it again when the verdicts were being read by the jury.
He said the contempt sentence will be consecutive to other time he receives after a jury found him guilty of six sex trafficking counts. He was ordered to be transported to the Bureau of Federal Prisons.
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.
He is to be sentenced later on those convictions. No sentencing date has yet been given.
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.