Man gets 32 years for trafficking teens, beating prison guard
TACOMA, Wash. -- A Des Moines man who viciously beat a prison guard while being held on charges of sexually trafficking two 13-year-old girls will spend the next 32 years in prison.
Prosecutors say 22-year-old Sabir Shabazz was being held at the Federal Detention Center at SeaTac early last January when he used a pipe to brutally beat a prison guard in what he later said was an escape attempt.
Another inmate stepped in to help the guard, but the man's head injuries were so severe that he needed surgery and will likely never return to work, according to U.S. Attorney Jenny A. Durkan.
At the time of the attack, Shabazz was facing charges of forcing a pair of 13-year-old girls into the sex trade. He and a co-conspirator posted photos of the girls -- both runaways -- on Backpage.com advertising sex. The men then took all the money the young girls made as prostitutes.
"This brutal assault on a prison guard rightfully earned this defendant a lengthy term behind bars," Durkan said in a Tuesday news release. "He preyed on vulnerable 13-year-old girls while on the streets and viciously attacked one of the people we trust to keep our prisons and communities safe and secure. This conduct will not be tolerated."
Shabazz pleaded guilty to multiple counts of assault on a federal officer and benefiting from forced labor and was sentenced Tuesday to 32 years in prison.
In their sentencing memo, prosecutors said, "It is hard to imagine a worse set of offenses - an assault calculated at killing a defenseless jail guard and involvement in the commercial sexual exploitation of two 13 year old girls."
Prosecutors say 22-year-old Sabir Shabazz was being held at the Federal Detention Center at SeaTac early last January when he used a pipe to brutally beat a prison guard in what he later said was an escape attempt.
Another inmate stepped in to help the guard, but the man's head injuries were so severe that he needed surgery and will likely never return to work, according to U.S. Attorney Jenny A. Durkan.
At the time of the attack, Shabazz was facing charges of forcing a pair of 13-year-old girls into the sex trade. He and a co-conspirator posted photos of the girls -- both runaways -- on Backpage.com advertising sex. The men then took all the money the young girls made as prostitutes.
"This brutal assault on a prison guard rightfully earned this defendant a lengthy term behind bars," Durkan said in a Tuesday news release. "He preyed on vulnerable 13-year-old girls while on the streets and viciously attacked one of the people we trust to keep our prisons and communities safe and secure. This conduct will not be tolerated."
Shabazz pleaded guilty to multiple counts of assault on a federal officer and benefiting from forced labor and was sentenced Tuesday to 32 years in prison.
In their sentencing memo, prosecutors said, "It is hard to imagine a worse set of offenses - an assault calculated at killing a defenseless jail guard and involvement in the commercial sexual exploitation of two 13 year old girls."
Sexually trafficking 13-year-olds ought to get him c@str@ted and a short "c|rcumcision".Â
Are we not the kind, benevolent state. 2 children/ 1 adult whose lives are forever changed. Is Mr. Shabazz a registered sex offender? if not, why not?  The children will still be alive when Mr. Shabazz is released. and by the way KOMO where is Mr. Shabazz's photo?   further questions:   Is the federal detention at FW for illegal immirants? if so a leaky boat back to his country of origin would seem in order.
Mr. Shabazz deserves and should spend his entire sentence in solitary confinement. Â He had truly earned it and then some. Â He is a blatant risk of assault to all of those around him. Â
no, I would put him in general population and maybe someone will eventually take him out. I could be then be caulked up to DSAF. (did society a favor)
"defenseless jail guard"? Don't they have any kind of weapon? A baton at least? Taser? Nothing? Dangerous job.
 @Komo Dragon When your local policeman takes a person to jail he has to check his weapon before he is allowed in.Â
 @Komo Dragon Think about it! Why don't prison guards have weapons?  It's obvious.
 @JT  @Komo Dragon There is no such thing as a prison guard. They are officers.Â
This guy is scary. I hope he's on the wrong end of a lead pipe in there once or twice.
i think his sentence is about 32 years too short. Best place in the world to be a crook is the u.s.a..
@32jim2 so true. prisoners have so many rights! we could certainly fix the budget problems by revoking some of them.