Pimp goes to prison for violating probation
Robert Hampton admits he pimped out young women for years, but the Chicago man spoke Tuesday of his own disadvantaged youth and troubled life in asking for one last chance.
A DuPage County judge instead sent him to prison for the first time in his life despite a long criminal history.
Circuit Judge Daniel Guerin sentenced Hampton to a three-year prison term for violating conditions of the probation he received in an April 2, 2009, plea deal.
Hampton, 27, faced resentencing because he failed to register as a convicted sex offender or check in with his probation officer, both required after he pleaded guilty to attempted juvenile pimping and aggravated criminal sexual abuse.
He admitted trying to prostitute three girls, one 13-year-old and two 16-year-olds, who were staying with him at a Lombard hotel in July 2008 after they ran away from a Downers Grove youth home for foster children. Hampton ran an advertisement on a popular website for potential customers to have sex with the teens for money. The ad provided a location, a price list and his cellular phone number.
In court Tuesday, he faced either probation or three to seven years in prison. Hampton told Guerin he failed to register and check in with probation officials because he was homeless in Chicago without money or transportation.
"If you can figure out how to do all that," Guerin said of the prostitution operation, "you can figure out how to get to probation. Apparently you do have the ability to get organized and get things done. Unfortunately, it's an ability to get illegal things done."
Hampton was arrested two summers ago after the 13-year-old girl, when told it was "your turn," instead went to authorities.
Prosecutor Enza LaMonica said Hampton told the girl, "If I wasn't such a nice guy, I'd slap the (expletive) out of you but I'll let you leave.'"
LaMonica said Hampton told authorities he enjoyed being a pimp. His criminal history dates back to a 1997 burglary and includes multiple arrests for pimping and marijuana use.
Hampton never served a day in prison.
His attorney, Brian Jacobs, a senior assistant DuPage County public defender, said Hampton is trying to better his life through obtaining his GED and is interested in college-level culinary classes. Jacobs detailed a horrific childhood in which Hampton never knew his father, was abandoned at a young age by his mother, and spent his youth bounced around from relative to relative, foster home to foster home.
Still, LaMonica said, Hampton was allowed to stay in state-supported housing until age 21 and was repeatedly given probation for offense after offense, only to squander those opportunities.
"The system didn't fail this kid," LaMonica said. "He failed the system."
Hampton likely will be paroled within months because he receives day-for-day credit and other considerations given standard sentencing guidelines. He'll be required to register as a sex offender upon his release and serve two years of mandatory supervised release.