Trucker is sent to prison in case involving a Kansas City teen prostitute
A St. Joseph truck driver who took a Kansas City teenager to Texas for the purpose of having sex was sentenced Wednesday to 20 years and 10 months in prison.
A federal jury in Kansas City in December found Tony Eugene Wardlow, 56, guilty of transporting a minor across state lines for the purposes of prostitution.
According to federal prosecutors and trial testimony, Wardlow met the girl and had sex with her while she was working as a prostitute on Independence Avenue in Kansas City.
Wardlow took her on several out-of-town trips, including one to Texas in 2011, during which he had sex with her a number of times, according to trial testimony.
The victim testified that Wardlow threatened her if she ever contacted police.
Wardlow has a previous conviction for sexual misconduct involving minors and was a registered sex offender.
To reach Tony Rizzo, call 816-234-4435 or send email to trizzo@kcstar.com.
This story was originally published August 12, 2015 at 3:22 PM with the headline "Trucker is sent to prison in case involving a Kansas City teen prostitute."