At the same time she was in charge of keeping her fellow prostitutes in line, DeShonqua Strait also was being abused by their pimp.

Michael Simmons, formerly of the North Side, had organized a prostitution ring from Pittsburgh to Phoenix to Los Angeles.

Ms. Strait was one of the women who, prosecutors say, was forced to work for him.

Yesterday, the 23-year-old pleaded guilty to one count of sex trafficking of children by force.

She was sentenced to 12 months in prison to be followed by 10 years of supervised release. Recommended sentencing guidelines called for a prison term of 27 to 33 months.

U.S. District Judge Terrence F. McVerry gave Ms. Strait a reduced sentence because she cooperated in the investigation of Mr. Simmons and others. He also noted that she, too, was a victim in the case.

According to Assistant U.S. Attorney Tina O. Miller, Mr. Simmons, who has since been convicted, set up neighborhoods to be worked, and gave the females working for him quotas.

He forced Ms. Strait, of Manassas, Va., to collect the money earned by the others. He did not ride in their vehicles across state lines, thinking that he, then, could not be charged with a federal crime.

Mr. Simmons had additional control over Ms. Strait because she was the mother of his child, Ms. Miller said. That child now lives with Ms. Strait's mother and stepfather.

Mr. Simmons, who pleaded guilty to coercion or enticement of a minor female in January 2006, was sentenced to 17¹/₂ years in prison to be followed by a lifetime of supervised release.

At yesterday's hearing, defense attorney Fred G. Rabner told Judge McVerry that Mr. Simmons was physically and verbally abusive to Ms. Strait and threatened her family, as well.

"To some degree, then, Ms. Strait may be viewed as a victim of Mr. Simmons?" Judge McVerry asked.

"Yes, your honor," Ms. Miller replied.

According to Mr. Rabner, Ms. Strait lived a normal life until age 13, when she was sexually assaulted. After that, she continued to see her attacker daily, he said.

She dropped out of school after 11th grade, and by age 18, left home and joined Mr. Simmons.

"She's not some evil-doer," Mr. Rabner said. "It's someone who's lost her path."

In the last nine months while Ms. Strait has been in jail, she said, she's earned her GED.

"I thought I eventually was going to die on the streets," she told Judge McVerry. "Honestly, I look at this as a blessing. I haven't liked myself for years.

"I look at this as an opportunity to change my life, and I'm grateful for it."