Man sentenced for child prostitution

ST. LOUIS -- A St. Louis man was sentenced to five years in prison Friday in a case in which federal prosecutors have said a child was essentially bought and sold for crack cocaine.

Darrill Gray, 51, pleaded guilty April 26 to one count of conspiracy to commit sex trafficking of a juvenile. Co-defendant John Geiler Jr., 36, was sentenced to three years and nine months in prison Aug. 17 on the same charge.

In January, Geiler took a 17-year-old girl to locations in Jefferson County and St. Louis to work as a prostitute. He provided her with crack cocaine, according to court records.

According to statements made in court, Geiler took the girl to Gray's house in January. He told Gray the girl owed him money, and he wanted to leave her with Gray so she could work as a prostitute to pay off her debt.

Gray ultimately let the girl leave with another person in exchange for the promise of crack, federal prosecutors have said.