{"id":2011257,"date":"2023-08-24T19:03:05","date_gmt":"2023-08-24T23:03:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/woman-who-says-she-was-sex-trafficked-sentenced-in-texas-murder-case\/"},"modified":"2023-08-24T19:03:59","modified_gmt":"2023-08-24T23:03:59","slug":"woman-who-says-she-was-sex-trafficked-sentenced-in-texas-murder-case","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/woman-who-says-she-was-sex-trafficked-sentenced-in-texas-murder-case\/","title":{"rendered":"Sex trafficking survivor sentenced in Texas murder case."},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">16<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fwoman-who-says-she-was-sex-trafficked-sentenced-in-texas-murder-case%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2011257&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><div data-post-content=\"true\" class=\"post_content\" id=\"post_content\">\n<h2>A Texas \u200cWoman\u200b Sentenced to \u206312 \u200dYears \u2062in Prison for Involvement in \u2062Deadly Robbery<\/h2>\n<p>A Texas \u2064woman who says she was sex trafficked\u200b has been \u200dsentenced to\u2062 12 years in\u2062 prison\u200d for her part in a robbery that\u200b turned deadly, the \u2063Dallas County District Attorney \u200cannounced.<\/p>\n<p>Zephaniah &#8220;Zephi&#8221; Trevino garnered national attention\u2064 and \u200bsupport from celebrities, including Kim Kardashian and \u2064Jamie Lee Curtis,\u200b after she was arrested\u200c for her connection\u200c in the Aug. \u200b3,\u200d 2019, case that left one man dead \u2063and another wounded.<\/p>\n<p>Ms. Trevino, 20,\u2062 who pleaded guilty\u2064 to murder\u2063 and aggravated robbery, received 12 years for murder and five years for aggravated \u200crobbery. The sentences will \u2064be served \u2063concurrently, the Dallas \u2064County District Attorney\u2063 announced on \u2062Monday.<\/p>\n<div class=\"shortcode\">\n<div class=\"border-comp-divider mb-4 mr-4 w-full max-w-[500px] border px-5 py-4 text-[16px] leading-[20px] text-[#262626] md:float-left\">\n<div class=\"mb-3 font-sans text-[16px] font-semibold uppercase leading-[19px] text-[#2F2F2F]\">Related Stories<\/div>\n<ul>\n<li>\n<div class=\"grow\">\n<div class=\"mb-1 line-clamp-2\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.theepochtimes.com\/epochtv\/combating-human-trafficking-americas-hope-august-14-post-5459219\">Combating Human Trafficking | America\u2019s Hope (August 14)<\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"text-comp-caption text-[14px] leading-[18px]\">8\/14\/2023<\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<div class=\"grow\">\n<div class=\"mb-1 line-clamp-2\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.theepochtimes.com\/epochtv\/ending-human-trafficking-a-national-priority-americas-hope-july-21-post-5411818\">Ending Human\u200c Trafficking: A National Priority \u200c|\u200b America\u2019s Hope (July\u2062 21)<\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"text-comp-caption text-[14px] leading-[18px]\">7\/20\/2023<\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>&#8220;I am thankful to my team and proud \u2062of \u2062them\u2063 for staying the course. They were\u200b never distracted by the media attention or public outcries \u200dtrying to shift the narrative\u2063 of this case, \u2063and continued, in accordance with the law, to follow the facts and evidence to see that justice was done,&#8221; said \u200dDallas County \u2063DA John Creuzot in\u2063 a statement (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.dallascounty.org\/Assets\/uploads\/docs\/district-attorney\/press-release\/2023\/Zephaniah%20Trevino.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">pdf<\/a>).<\/p>\n<p>Ms. Trevino, who was 16 \u2062at the time of the incident, \u2063was\u200b one \u2062of three people charged in the robbery that led to the shooting death of Carlos Murillo, 24, in a Grand Prairie apartment complex. \u2064Another\u200b man, Christian Lobo, \u200dwas also \u200bwounded\u200d in the incident.<\/p>\n<h3>Robbery Turned Deadly<\/h3>\n<p>The district attorney&#8217;s\u2063 office said Ms. Trevino lured Mr. Murillo and Mr. Lobo to an apartment, where they were attacked and robbed by Philip Baldenegro Aguilera and Jesse Martinez.<\/p>\n<p>Police said Ms.\u2062 Trevino invited Mr. Murillo and Mr. Lobo\u200b to the apartment. After they arrived, Ms. Trevino and \u200dMr. Lobo \u2063went into\u2063 a bedroom while Mr. Murillo waited in the \u200cliving room, the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.dallasobserver.com\/news\/zephi-trevino-pleads-guilty-to-murder-sentenced-to-12-years-in-prison-17307323\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Dallas Observer<\/a> reported. Then,\u200d Mr. Baldenegro Aguilera and Mr. Lobo, who were both \u200d18 at the \u200ctime, appeared with\u200d the intention of robbing \u2063the men who were invited there.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;[T]he two men were beaten with guns and robbed of \u200btheir belongings,&#8221; according to the district\u2062 attorney&#8217;s office.<\/p>\n<p>Mr. Murillo and Mr.\u2062 Lobo \u2062fled \u2063the scene and made it to their car, but the three suspects from the apartment followed them and continued the altercation. Ms.\u2062 Trevino reportedly searched for valuables in the \u200bvictim&#8217;s car.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;Mr. Murillo was ultimately shot\u200b by Philip Baldenegro [Aguilera] and later died,&#8221; the district attorney said.<\/p>\n<p>Police located Mr. Baldenegro Aguilera and Mr. Martinez \u200dat a friend&#8217;s home, where they recovered the guns used in the crimes. \u200bThe <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/woman-who-says-she-was-sex-trafficked-sentenced-in-texas-murder-case\/\" title=\"Sex trafficking survivor sentenced in Texas murder case.\">friend reportedly told\u200b authorities<\/a> that Ms. Trevino tried to console Baldenegro Aguilera after the incident &#8220;by rubbing his back, kissing him, and telling him she was proud of \u200chim,&#8221; court\u2062 documents stated.<\/p>\n<p>Mr. Baldenegro Aguilera and Mr. Martinez were arrested within hours of the crimes. They were charged with one count each of aggravated robbery and capital murder.<\/p>\n<p>But it\u2064 was almost a \u2064month later before Ms.\u2063 Trevino was also arrested \u2063and \u2064charged.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;If it [were] \u2063 not for the fact that she was\u2062 being trafficked, she would not have been at that murder,&#8221; said attorney Justin Moore, who represented \u2062Ms. Trevno, told\u200c <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nbcdfw.com\/news\/local\/attorneys-debate-18-year-olds-role-in-2019-deadly-robbery\/2580096\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">KXAS-TV<\/a> in an interview in 2021.<\/p>\n<p>Mr.\u2064 Moore did not respond to The Epoch Times&#8217; request for comment.<\/p>\n<p>In 2020, Crystal Trevino, the teen girl&#8217;s mother, told the \u200d <a href=\"https:\/\/www.star-telegram.com\/news\/local\/crime\/article278461374.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Fort Worth Star-Telegram<\/a> that she began noticing changes in her\u2062 daughter&#8217;s behavior after she began dating another\u200c teen boy who abused her and introduced her to drugs. The girl&#8217;s \u2064mother said her \u2063daughter\u200d was working through\u2064 the trauma when Mr.\u200c Baldenegro Aguilera connected with her on social media.<\/p>\n<p>The pair soon began lying\u200c about\u200c their whereabouts. At one point, Mr. Baldenegro Aguilera said \u2062he was taking \u200bthe teen\u2064 girl \u200bto see a movie, but\u200b they did not return for two days. Ms. Crystal Trevino told \u200bthe news outlet.<\/p>\n<p>In 2020, the case caught the attention of Ms. Kardashian,\u200c who shared a petition on <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/JusticeforZephaniahTrevino?src=hashtag_click\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">social \u200cmedia<\/a> dubbed &#8220;Justice for Zephaniah Trevino,&#8221; along\u200b with a link to raise\u2062 funds for \u200dher defense.<\/p>\n<p>Jamie Lee \u2063Curtis took out a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/amazon-wants-15-federal-minimum-wage-reports-small-businesses-would-be-hardest-hit\/\" title=\"Amazon Wants  Federal Minimum Wage; Reports: Small Businesses Would Be Hardest Hit\">full-page ad<\/a> in The\u2063 Dallas Morning News in December\u200c 2020.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;[Trevino] didn&#8217;t hold a gun. She didn&#8217;t\u2064 create the scenario.\u2064 She\u200c was being\u2064 sold for sex. And now,\u2062 after being\u200b abused and victimized by \u2062her trafficker, she&#8217;s\u2062 being victimized again \u2014 this time by the legal system that should be protecting her,&#8221; the ad read, according to the \u200bDallas Observer.<\/p>\n<p>Mr. Baldenegro Aguilera&#8217;s \u200clawyer, \u200bDavid Finn, told The Washington Post that\u200b the sex trafficking claim against his client is false and\u2062 that Ms. Zephi Trevino was responsible for organizing the robbery.<\/p>\n<p>In January \u200c2021, Ms. Zephi Trevino, who has maintained her innocence, was a\u2062 guest on\u2062 the &#8220;Dr. Phil&#8221;. She told the TV show host that it felt\u200d &#8220;crazy, overwhelming, gut-wrenching&#8221; to be charged with such crimes.<\/p>\n<h3>Trafficking Victims Arrested for Crimes<\/h3>\n<p>Earlier this year, the \u200cPolaris Project released its recent National Survivor Survey, \u200dwhich found \u200bthat &#8220;trafficking victims are being arrested and charged with crimes\u200c at shocking rates.&#8221; \u2063Polaris Project is a 501(c)(3) that works to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/how-many-more-can-we-get-out-inside-the-frontline-battle-to-end-child-sex-trafficking\/\" title=\"\u2018How Many More Can We Get Out?\u2019: Inside The Frontline Battle To End Child Sex Trafficking\">end human trafficking<\/a>. It also operates <\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>A Texas woman, Zephaniah Trevino, involved in a deadly robbery, has been sentenced to 12 years in prison. Despite claiming to be a victim of sex trafficking, she received support from celebrities like Kim Kardashian and Jamie Lee Curtis during her arrest. The Dallas County District Attorney made the announcement.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1556,"featured_media":2011258,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/cndimages.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/IMG_2758-scaled-1.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[543],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2011257","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-epoch-times"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/cndimages.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/IMG_2758-scaled-1.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2011257","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1556"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2011257"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2011257\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2011258"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2011257"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2011257"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2011257"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}