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Mother upset with human trafficking sentence
A Houston mother and son charged with operating a sex trafficking ring have both been sentenced but one of the victims is still missing. FOX 26's Damali Keith spoke with the mother of the victim still missing and has more on just how much time the duo will spend behind bars.
HOUSTON - A Houston mother and son charged with operating a sex trafficking ring have now both been sentenced, but one of the victims is still missing.
Investigators say Tasheika Bush participated with her own son Aryion Jackson to traffick women and girls for sex. Bush was the last of four people to be sentenced and Kristen Galvan's mom, whose daughter is still missing, says Bush's 12-month sentence isn't nearly long enough.
"With the judge handing out less than the minimum for all of these cases, how are we ever going to get ahead of human trafficking," says Robyn Cory, whose baby, Kristen Galvan, was just 15 years old when she went missing in January 2020. Galvan was being trafficked with 11 other girls and women in a sex trafficking ring run by Jackson with the help of his mother, Bush.
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"If this is a family business, selling children, we have a huge problem," Cory adds.
Jackson could have received 30 years to life in prison, but Judge Lee Rosenthal gave Jackson a 27-year sentence. Now Rosenthal has sentenced Jackson's mom to 1 year in prison and Bush can surrender after the holidays.
"My chair is still empty for Kristen and this woman gets to go have Christmas with her family and turn herself in for her trafficking charges. What kind of justice is this? I mean it feels like who cares about Robyn's child who was sex-trafficked. I feel like nobody cares," Cory adds.
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In addition to mother and son, two others, Samaria Kearney and Gerald Jones have also been charged in connection with the sex trafficking ring.
Cory didn't miss one court hearing, but she was never able to read her victim impact statement on behalf of her missing daughter.
"It hinders my soul. I feel like I've been brushed underneath the rug just like Kristen. Kristen's voice wasn't heard and maybe if her voice was heard in court maybe they would have gotten longer sentences. (What's the biggest thing you want to say?) Where is Kristen? That's all I want to know. Where is Kristen," Cory asks.
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Jan. 2, 2024, makes four years since Kristen Galvan vanished. A date that's closing in on this heartbroken mother who's trying to get through what's supposed to be a happy time of year full of peace and presents.
"That's the only gift I want is my baby. That's all I want. The holidays are the worst because she used to decorate with me every holiday," Cory says through tears.
Kristen Galvan was last seen on Bissonnet Street, a strip that was known for years for human trafficking. It's now been shut down. Cory says she's grateful for that, and she knows her daughter's story helped put Bissonnet out of business.