A man was sentenced to 21 years in state prison last week for burglary, robbery, kidnapping of sex purchaser, assault with a firearm, and trafficking a 17-year-old girl, officials from the Orange County District Attorney’s office announced in a press release.
The OCDA charged Grant Champion Ewing, 23, of Riverside, with driving the teenager to Newport Beach in February in order to meet with a middle-aged man after corresponding via a website known for prostitution.
Ewing pleaded guilty on Sept. 27, to: First degree burglary, first degree robbery, assault with a semiautomatic firearm, kidnapping, false imprisonment effected by violence, menace, fraud, or deceit, criminal threats, dissuade witness by force, trafficking a victim under 18 years of age, pimping a minor over 16 years of age, pandering a minor over 16 years of age, and resisting and obstructing a peace officer.
Ewing also received sentence enhancements for personal use and discharge of firearm, a prior “strike” conviction, and prior prison term.
He was sentenced to 21 years in state prison. Ewing will also have to register as a sex offender.
Ewing is accused of being a human trafficker/pimp who exploits women for financial gain, according to the OCDA.
“With the rise in popularity of social media and ease of meeting people on the Internet, many pimps and human traffickers utilize a variety of social media to locate potential victims,” OCDA Tony Rackauckas explained in the statement.
According to the OCDA, on Feb. 22, Ewing drove Jane Doe to meet with a 59-year-old sex purchaser John Doe in Newport Beach.
Ewing drove the young girl to John Doe’s home where the victims planned to engage in commercial sex.
After dropping her off, he returned to the residence in an attempt to rob John Doe. Ewing began banging on the front door and pointed a gun at John Doe when he opened the door.
“The defendant forced his way into the residence and hit John Doe in the face several times. The defendant then demanded gold from John Doe and forced the victim into his bedroom,” the OCDA explains in the press release. “After going through John Doe’s belongings, Ewing hit John Doe in the head with the gun and discharged the firearm, while continuing to demand valuables.”
After Ewing took some cash that the man revealed in a hallway closet, he locked him in the bedroom closet and threatened to kill him if he called the police, according to the OCDA. Ewing then proceeded to steal the victim’s cell phone and computer.
After the defendant and Jane Doe left the residence, John Doe called Newport Beach Police Department. NBPD investigated and arrested Ewing later that night.
