Tyler Michael Benson
An Ooltewah man who allegedly picked up a prostitute in downtown Chattanooga, then took her to his home and told her she was going to be his "sex slave" has been sentenced to serve 12 years in state prison for aggravated sexual battery.
Tyler Michael Benson, who was 32 at the time of his arrest in July 2021, got 10 years for aggravated kidnapping.
He appeared before Judge Amanda Dunn.
The woman said he held her captive for an 18-hour period in the incident on Torbett Lane.
She claimed that he drugged her and violently raped her repeatedly until she was finally able to get away.A mail carrier spotted her leaving the residence, and he took her to a nearby church where she called the Sheriff's Office.
The woman was taken to a hospital and was found to have suffered numerous physical injuries, it was stated.
Detectives said they were able to corroborate details of the women's version of the events after getting a search warrant and entering the Benson residence.
In 2012, Benson was arrested for beating a known prostitute in the head with a hammer.
At the time, police said Benson told them he had been reading about serial killer Ted Bundy and "wanted to be like him."
In that case, he was charged with especially aggravated robbery, aggravated assault and patronizing prostitution.
A known prostitute said she had been picked up by a white male and taken near the Bojangles on E. 23rd Street. She said the man attacked her there.
Police said she had cuts on her arms, face and head.
Benson said he had been picking up prostitutes and trying to trick them into giving him free sex.
He said he had picked up the woman and tried to rob her, but she began to fight back. He said he "did not like that she was fighting back and wanted her to be afraid and to do what he said."
He said she "was putting up a good fight" so he pulled out a hammer and began to hit her in the head. He said at one point they were fighting over a knife.
Benson also confessed "to attacking a number of unidentified prostitutes in the same manner."
He said he "enjoyed the power he felt" while beating the prostitutes.
In 2014, he pleaded guilty to aggravated assault and got a four-year sentence.