A convicted sex offender who put a 15-year-old runaway girl to work as a prostitute in Riverside was sentenced Friday to five years in state prison.
John Robert Titow, 59, of Riverside pleaded guilty in September to human trafficking of a minor, persuading a child to engage in lewd acts and recruiting an underage person for prostitution. No charges were dismissed under the plea agreement.
Riverside County Superior Court Judge David Gunn certified the terms and imposed the sentence stipulated by the prosecution and defense.
Titow’s co-defendant, 32-year-old Leonard Lawrence Martinez of Jurupa Valley, is free on a $75,000 bond and due to be arraigned Nov. 19 on charges of lewd acts on a child, annoying a minor and disorderly conduct.
According to Riverside police Officer Ryan Railsback, in the predawn hours of July 7, the victim, whose identity was not released, was standing outside a store in the 3900 block of Market Street, approaching men and offering sexual services.
Titow was standing nearby but did not speak to anyone, Railsback said.
He said that one of the store customers called 911, and officers went to the scene but were unable to find either the girl or the defendant. However, following a three-week investigation, vice squad detectives identified Titow as the pimp. He was tracked down and arrested on Magnolia Avenue on Aug. 2. The teen was found safe.
Martinez was identified as an alleged co-conspirator soon after Titow was taken into custody. The probationer was arrested on Gemini Court in Jurupa Valley on Aug. 16 but posted bail immediately.
According to court records, Titow has prior convictions for attempted lewd acts on a child under 14 years old and burglary.
Martinez has a prior misdemeanor conviction for driving under the influence of drugs.