A man convicted in a human trafficking ring in South Florida learned just how much his life of crime will cost him.
The victim of the Hungarian sex trafficking ring gave an emotional plea Tuesday during the sentencing of his abuser.
"I was mostly afraid of Victor Berki and Andras Vass," one of the trafficking victims said. "This totally has had an unchangeable impact on my life."
Andras Vass together with Victor Berki, both Hungarian nationals, were luring young men into the United States with promises of a better life. But that better life turned out to be sexual exploitation and slavery.
A jury found Vass guilty of human trafficking in April.
"I got revved up with such people who are not law-abiding people," Vass said. He asked for forgiveness and apologized to the victims.
"Sentenced to 140.55 months in Florida state prison," said Judge Richard Hersch, Miami-Dade Criminal Court.
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The judge sentenced Vass to 11.5 years in state prison. His sentence started immediately. Vass was fingerprinted and taken back into custody.
A group of gay activists were there for the sentencing to bring attention to this plight in the LGBT community.
"We're very happy. I think that the goal was achieved and that justice was delivered the way that it should be," said Francesco Duberli, Survivor's Pathway Organization.
Vass has 30 days to appeal his sentence, and it looks like he will ask for another trial. But for now, he'll remain behind bars.
