Have You Checked the Children?
Two Arizona Female Teens Accused of Pimping Other Girls
Grandmother Linda Tye wants to fight the charges against her granddaughter, Tatiana Tye, in court.
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Its hard out here for a teenager?
 The grandmother of a 16-year-old Arizona girl accused of prostitution — and recruiting and pimping other teen girls — said Wednesday she hopes to fight the charges in court.
“I really want to take it to trial,” Linda Tye, grandmother of Tatiana Tye told CNN Radio. “She needs to meet her accusers.”
Tatiana Tye and a second 16-year-old girl, Jazmine Finley, were indicted earlier this week by a grand jury, Maricopa County, Arizona, prosecutors said in a statement. Although the girls are juveniles, prosecutors released their names and said they will be tried as adults.
Tye is charged with one count of child prostitution and three counts of pandering, or serving as a go-between or liaison for sexual purposes, prosecutors said.
Finley faces nine counts of child prostitution; two counts of receiving earnings of a prostitute; and one count of pandering. All the charges are felonies, prosecutors said.
The two were arrested last week after a five-month investigation, Phoenix police told reporters. Authorities believe Tye and Finley recruited at least five girls, ranging in age from 14 to 17, on the campuses of their high schools, police spokesman Sgt. Andy Hill said in a Monday news briefing posted on the Web site of CNN affiliate KTVK.
“We have a situation of two girls, 16 years old, who are, in essence, pimps,” Hill said. “And they ran their own brothel.”
Police believe the girls had rented an apartment used solely for acts of prostitution, he said.
Prosecutors, citing a police probable cause statement, said the teenagers recruited girls by telling them of “all the money they would be making. Additionally, they were told that it was better working for them as opposed to male pimps because they would not get beat up.”
Hill said, “I think we were all surprised at, you know, were these 16-year-old girls that were arrested, were they running this business? And the answer is yes, they were.”
In a jailhouse interview with KTVK, Tatiana Tye blamed Finley for introducing her to the world of prostitution, and said she was “a follower, not a leader, following whatever Jazmine does, and those were bad things.”
She denied recruiting anyone or receiving any money, although she did acknowledge she was scared at times.
“All I’m saying is, before (Finley) came into my life, none of this stuff was going on,” Tatiana Tye said. “I don’t even know much about prostitution and stuff. I’ve seen it before, because Jazmine had a pimp.”
However, she refused to answer questions about whether she had worked as a prostitute or about the apartment.
KTVK said it attempted to interview Finley, but her guardian failed to show up at the jail to give permission.
Accompanied by her grandmother, Tatiana Tye told reporters she didn’t want to talk to them initially, but “then again, I thought about, people need to know the truth. I mean, I would never, ever call myself a pimp or a madam.”
Asked what she would say to other teens, she said, “I would just tell them, don’t hang out with people that you know are doing bad stuff, because they’ll drag you down with them.”
Linda Tye said she had custody of her granddaughter, who moved in with her after leaving her mother’s home.
She said Tatiana Tye “admits to knowing Jazmine, hanging out and being with Jazmine. That she admits to. The rest, she doesn’t really want to talk about before she goes to trial and talks to her lawyers.”
As of Wednesday, she said, attorneys had only visited her granddaughter briefly, but longer visits are planned.
She said she is worried about Tatiana Tye’s health in jail, as she is eating only grapefruit and refuses to drink the water. The girl’s younger sister, 13, misses her and hasn’t been able to see her, she said.
She told CNN she does not understand how prosecutors can try her granddaughter as an adult.
“I want (people) to know that my little granddaughter, she is a loving person. She smiles all the time … she’s a little confused, but that’s no reason, and people shouldn’t sit and judge people. I just don’t like that. You don’t know the facts, you don’t know the truth, don’t do that,” Linda Tye said.
But asked whether she had any advice for others, she said, “Pay attention to your kids. If you’re a grandparent, pay attention to your grandchildren, because you never know what they’re up to. This is a big mess, and that’s what it is.”
(CNN)
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Has it come to this ? The child emulated the parent, now the parent emulates the child. White folks got the little bit of knowledge they possess from us. Our young women were being raped from the ages of nine on up. Now they are doing as the slavemastrs did. It’s like black men going to white women and black women going to the one that taught ” the dog ” to be the dog he is. One day, we all shall rise above our lower selves and the mental decapitation of slavery. Sincerely yours, Kedemah Israel. ALAFIA !!!!!
> Kedemah Israel
where in the hell is her mama? like i said it’s not the kids its the fucked up, crack head, dope fiend adults that these children call mama and daddy. a lot of them should have their parental rights snatched from them, because they are not. more like BREEDERS OF ANIMALS!
> tara washington
you cant blame everything on the parents somtimes you can watch you kids like a hawk an d they still mess u
> rejean brider
in this case they didnt think of the punishment that would come with there actions young dum an caught i dont think they should be drug through the mud for it but correction is at hand
> rejean brider
and maw maw should beat that ass instead of trying to protect here
> rejean brider
First of where is these kids mothers? Its a shame that extended families have to raise thier grandkids, neices, nephews, etc. You lay down and get pregnant, you should cut the bull shit, spend time with your kids, play with them, teach them morals. Women who get knocked up and walk away from thier kids is just sick, and then what makes it worse, THIER parents dont put their feet don and say, “its your chiild, i’ll help, but you have to do this on your own.” People who pass of thier kids to run the streets are horrible people. I have children myself, but i read books to them, they draw, very independent, and they are alot of fun to be with! I would never trade it in for anything, to me being a parent is the best thing in the world. People making excuses, like “oh theyre a good girl”, to an extent. then news makes it worse, tney are not supposed to reveal a minors names especially if they are facing criminal charges.
> tyrone
Its the lack of parental guidance, positive role models and dicipline that mess these children up. White people dont pimp out each other, they make sure they take care of them, and make sure they go to school and set limits. This was what black people were about then, now its horrible.
> tyrone
Everyone should be investigated, who decided they were going to rent out an apartment to teens in the first place. The prostitutes had to go along with the pimps in order for there to be a business. Prostitution is a crime and all of them are kids, so why is only the pimps guilty. I am a black woman and I don’t believe (to all my black people) that its unruly black children, because white kids are out of control too, they deal mainly in drugs and suicides, but they are out of control. People need to set a foundation of values for their kids and instill it in them. Teach them to love and respect themselves amd they will do the same for others. The case is deeper than teens pimping, they rented an apartment unlawfully, were their grown men sleeping with these girls? If those girls are charged everyone involved in anyway should be charged. And to trail those girls as adults is crazy, people get away with a lot worse. They should be punished of course. But their lives shouldn’t be snatched away because of it.
> Kat
okay, kids are human too.
here are the reasons for the Dummies
1. they have their own thoughts and personalities
2. It doesn’t matter how many times you whop and whip your kids, in the end they will do what they want to do because they know right from wrong.
3. If you openly talk to your kids, and GIVE THEM THE CHANCE TO OPEN UP..sometimes you don’t need to talk just listen…shut the hell up and listen
> chrissy
dat shit is crazy
> mike
are they serious? a 16 yr old pimp? w o w now that’s what I call sick.
> Amina Holder
p.s. what the hell kinda teen says she don’t know much about prostitution ans stuff? just by her vocab I can tell this girl slow as hell too
> Amina Holder
Any chance you can contact me?
> Charles
Tried as an ADULT!! Are you kidding me! Yeah the girl knew what she was getting herself into and knew what she was doing was wrong, but she is not even old enough to legally drink, vote, or serve her country in war. Most regular jobs would place restrictions on her if they were to hire her. If the law does not consider young people old enough to for the benefits of being an adult, it should not consider them mature enough for the penalties. The girl is living with her grandmother, she obviously has some problems. Send her the jail, but don’t condemn her to be a career criminal. Get her some resources in jail so she does not offend again. Get her some help and education.
> pat
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> Hire Teen
When I first was letting people know I was pregnant, someone (an older man) asked if I was keeping it. He was obviously joking
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