The trial date has been continued once again for a Seattle man arrested in Kent and charged with promoting prostitution, leading organized crime, promoting sexual abuse of a minor and other charges.
Shacon Fontane Barbee, 33, faces a Sept. 18 trial date after King County Superior Court Judge Mary E. Roberts granted Barbee’s attorney’s request for a continuance from a June 19 date.
Defense attorney Brian Todd said he needed more time to prepare the case because of voluminous discovery as well as conduct witness interviews, according to court documents.
Prosecutors did not join in the request for the continuance, said Ian Goodhew, spokesman for the King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office. Barbee also had previous trial dates continued in September, November and February.
Barbee allegedly made at least $192,000 as a pimp during one eight-month period, according to charging papers filed against Barbee in July by King County prosecutors.
Kent Police arrested Barbee in December 2010 near a Kent hotel.
A then 19-year-old prostitute told detectives that she earned about $2,000 per week mainly from working along Pacific Highway South in Kent and Denny Way in Seattle. She gave all of that money to Barbee.
Barbee pleaded not guilty to the charges against him. The charges include three counts of promoting commercial sexual abuse of a minor; first-degree promoting prostitution; second-degree promoting prostitution; and leading organized crime. He also is charged with three counts of first-degree theft in connection with wrongfully obtaining money from the Social Security Administration and one count of tampering with a witness.
If convicted as charged, Barbee could face up to 15 years in prison. He remains in the county jail at the Norm Maleng Regional Justice Center in Kent with bail set at $500,000.
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