U.S. District Judge Alison J. Nathan ruled that the federal sentencing directive for 60-year-old Maxwell ranged from 15 1/2 to 19 1/2 years in prison, about half of his 30- to 55-year term. ask federal prosecutors. Defense attorneys want a five-year term. The sentencing in New York is the culmination of a persecution that describes in detail how the ruling couple displayed their wealth and prominent connections to lure vulnerable 14-year-old girls and then exploit them. The audition was so loud that Nathan requested a half-hour lunch break, unusual for such procedures. At some point, Maxwell will have the opportunity to speak, as will five women who say they were sexually abused by Epstein with Maxwell’s help. Maxwell, wearing a blue prison uniform and a white mask to comply with coronavirus rules, sat quietly for the first hour of the sentencing hearing as lawyers debated the law. At least three of her siblings sat in a row behind her. Most of the others in the crowded courtroom were members of the media. Several women who testified against Maxwell or made statements before sentencing were also in court. Two of them – Elizabeth Stein and Sarah Ransom – spoke to reporters outside. “Today is a day I never thought would happen, so for me it is a blessing. It really is. “And I prayed for this moment so hard and for so long,” Ransom said. “It would be very justifiable to say my statements and have them in the room to hear them,” Stein said. Prosecutors say Epstein, who committed suicide in 2019 while awaiting trial, has sexually abused children hundreds of times over a decade and could not have done so without the help of Maxwell, his longtime partner and once-girlfriend. In December, a court convicted Maxwell of sexually abusing, transporting a minor for engaging in sexual misconduct and two counts of conspiracy. “Maxwell’s behavior was shockingly predatory. “She was a computer, sophisticated and dangerous criminal who kidnaps vulnerable young girls and beautifies them for sexual abuse,” the prosecutors wrote in a case file. Maxwell denies abusing anyone. “Witnesses at the trial testified that Ms. Maxwell facilitated Epstein’s abuse, but Epstein was always the protagonist: Epstein was the mastermind, Epstein was the main criminal, and Epstein orchestrated his personal satisfaction for the crimes.” , wrote the defense lawyers. court testimony. Epstein and Maxwell’s relationships with some of the world’s most famous people were not prominent in the trial, but reports from friends such as Bill Clinton, Donald Trump and Prince Andrew of Britain showed how the couple took advantage of their relationship. to impress their prey. For the past 17 years, dozens of women have accused Epstein of abusing them. Many described Maxwell as the lady who recruited them to massage Epstein. The trial, however, revolved around allegations by only a few of these women. Four testified that they were abused as teenagers in the 1990s and early 2000s at Epstein Villas in Florida, New York, New Mexico and the Virgin Islands. Three were identified in court only by their first names or nicknames to protect their privacy: Jane, a television actress. Kate, a former model from the United Kingdom. and Carolyn, now a mom recovering from drug addiction. The fourth was Annie Farmer, who identified herself in court by her real name after speaking in public. They described how Maxwell charmed them with conversations and gifts and promises that Epstein could use his wealth and connections to help fulfill their dreams. Then they testified, he led them to massage Epstein who had sex and played it normally. Carolyn testified that she was one of many disadvantaged teenagers who lived near Epstein’s home in Florida in the early 2000s and accepted an offer to massage him in exchange for $ 100 bills in what prosecutors described as a “pyramid.” abuse ‘. Maxwell made all the arrangements, Carolyn told the jury, even though she knew the girl was only 14 at the time. The charges against Epstein first appeared in public in 2005. He pleaded guilty to sex charges in Florida and served 13 months in prison, many of them in a release program as part of a deal that was criticized as lenient. He then had to register as a sex offender. In the years that followed, many women sued Epstein for alleged abuse. One, Virginia Giuffre, claimed that Epstein and Maxwell had also pressured her to have sex with other powerful men, including Prince Andrew. All of these men denied the allegations and Giuffre eventually settled a lawsuit against Andrew out of court. Federal prosecutors in New York have revived the case against Epstein after stories from the Miami Herald in 2018 that brought new attention to his crimes. He was arrested in 2019, but committed suicide a month later. Eleven months after his death, Maxwell was arrested on a New Hampshire estate. A US, British and French national, she has remained in federal prison in New York ever since, as her lawyers have repeatedly criticized her treatment, saying she was even unjustly placed under suicide surveillance days before her conviction. Prosecutors say the allegations about the prison are exaggerated and that Maxwell was treated better than other inmates. Her lawyers also fought to overturn her conviction for misconduct by jurors. Days after the verdict, a juror gave interviews to the media in which he revealed that he had been sexually abused as a child – something he had not said in court when selecting jurors. Maxwell’s lawyers said she deserved a new trial. One judge disagreed. At least eight women wrote letters to the judge describing the sexual abuse they said they suffered because they met Maxwell and Epstein. In letters to the judge, six of Maxwell’s seven living brothers asked for forgiveness. Maxwell’s detainee also submitted a letter describing how Maxwell had helped train other detainees over the past two years. Anne Holve and her older brothers Philip Maxwell wrote that her relationship with Epstein began shortly after the death of their father, the British tycoon Robert Maxwell, in 1991. Robert Maxwell was said to have subjected his daughter to “frequent rapid mood swings, tremendous anger and rejection.” “This led her to become very vulnerable to abusive and powerful men who could take advantage of her innate good nature,” they wrote. Prosecutors called Maxwell’s shift to Epstein “irrational and offensive.” “Maxwell was an adult who made her own choices,” they wrote in court. “He made the choice to sexually exploit many underage girls. She chose to conspire with Epstein for years, working as an accomplice in crime and causing catastrophic damage to vulnerable victims. “It must be held accountable for its troublesome role in an extensive child exploitation program.”
