Prosecutors said that the then-31-year-old defendant, Michael, was taken into custody and convicted after authorities discovered that he allgedly held a 15-year-old girl as his personal se* sIave, starving her and keeping her locked in a dog cage for over a year.
However, the judge decided to let him go without any jail time, and it was all for a disturbing reason. During an interview with investigators, the then-15-year-old victim.
Hailey, reportedly said that she met the defendant in an online chat. She confided in him about her struggle with anorexia and self-esteem, which led to an intimate relationship that the man used to convince the girl into running away from her home.
The defendant then manipulated the girl into a “consensual non-consensual” BD-SM relationship, which quickly turned into ra-e and abuse. Soon, the man was keeping the girl as his personal se* slave in his Atlanta home, limiting what she ate and keeping her locked in a dog crate. Luckily, the 15-year-old girl was rescued by police at the age of 17, over a year after her capture.
She was severely malnourished, infected with ringworm, and suffering serious back problems due to her time spent in the cage. However, despite the fact that he faced 25 years in prison, County Superior Court Hamil decided not to give Michael any jail time because he received credit for time served.
Although Judge Hamil sentenced the defendant to a paltry 8 months in prison, he then accepted the man’s previous 8-month stay in jail before receiving bond as time served. Michael will only be required to remain on probation for 9 years and 4 months along with registering as a se* offender. According to the court documents, the defendant had been previously charged with ra*e, aggravated so-omy, cruelty to children, false imprisonment, and interstate interference with custody. However, Judge Hamil offered Michael a deal for pleading guilty to first-degree cruelty to children and interstate interference with custody.
Judge Hamil admitted that the defendant should not be granted a request for first offender status. However, the man still walked out of the courtroom without having to set foot in a prison cell due to his plea deal. “He manipulated me heavily, taking advantage of my mental illness to push me closer to his desires,” Hailey said. “He lowered my self-esteem greatly and led me to believe I’d never be loved or have a proper life if I gained any weight.” The victim also explained that she has no self-esteem and has developed a fear of showering and rain because of alleged water torture. She also obsesses over aspects of her surroundings, including repeatedly checking locks and doors in order to ensure her safety. Hailey has reportedly attempted suicide three times since her escape.
