People v. Collins CA4/3

STATEMENT OF FACTS

On November 19, 2019, defendant and M.C. were staying together at the Days Inn motel in Buena Park. At trial, it was undisputed that M.C. was working as a prostitute at that time and that defendant knew she was a prostitute. The main issue for the jury to decide was whether defendant was M.C.’s pimp, as the prosecution alleged, or whether he was simply M.C.’s friend, as the defense maintained. M.C. testified she was a “renegade” prostitute, meaning she worked without a pimp. But because she did not have a car, defendant would often drive her to her “dates,” which were really nothing more than an exchange of sex for money. In return for the rides, M.C. would sometimes give defendant gas money. She also bought him food from time to time and paid for most of their motel bills. However, M.C. testified that she and defendant were just good friends; he did not tell her what to do or control her actions, nor was she required to give him any of the proceeds from her prostitution activity, which amounted to around $700 per week. M.C. did admit, though, that defendant looked out for her and that they did spend a lot of time together, including on November 19, 2019. That…