A Polk County judge revoked Pieper Lewis’ deferred judgment after she violated terms of her probation, but the 18-year-old sex trafficking victim will not go to prison.
Polk County District Judge David Porter ruled Lewis will be placed on probation after she escaped from Fresh Start Women's Center in Des Moines and cut off her ankle monitor last November.
The teen received a deferred judgment and five years of probation last year for killing a 37-year-old man she said raped her multiple times when she was 15 and homeless. She pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter and willful injury.
Her case received national attention, and Lewis' former math teacher set up a GoFundMe page to help pay her court-ordered restitution to the family of her alleged abuser. It raised over $500,000.
At the sentencing hearing on Wednesday, several sex trafficking and gender-based violence expert witnesses testified on behalf of Lewis that incarceration can further traumatize victims of sex trafficking and that she will benefit from remaining in community-based support.
Emma Dedic, Lewis' probation officer, testified that the Department of Corrections recommended revoking her deferred judgement and sending her to prison.
"We believe that we have given her opportunities when it comes to fresh start," Dedic said. "She came to the correctional facility. We had a team approach around her. All the services that she needed she received from us."
Porter revoked Lewis' deferred judgment and ordered that she be sentenced up to 20 years in prison for her two felony convictions before suspending her terms of incarceration and placing her back on probation.
He spoke directly to Lewis indicating she's been convicted of two felony counts.
“Miss Lewis, I indicated to you last year, you’ve asked for a second chance, you don’t get a third. I stand by that. There are consequences for your actions," he said.
Polk County Attorney Kimberly Graham told the court she agreed with the judge’s decision to keep Lewis out of prison.
"My gut instinct, and based on my conversation with Miss Piper Lewis, is that she has learned from what happened and that she is more willing than she has been to listen to those around her. And that is she is actually beginning to trust a little bit."
