2-Time Convicted Human Sex Trafficker Sentenced In Oklahoma County Courtroom

An Oklahoma City man now convicted twice for human sex trafficking was formally sentenced on Friday to 25 years in prison. 

The Oklahoma Court of Criminal Appeals granted Milton Shelton, 58, a new trial after a former judge’s misconduct on the bench came to light.

Shelton’s case was one of several felony cases impacted by former Judge Timothy Henderson’s inappropriate involvement with female prosecutors.

“He’s got a record involving prostitution that goes back to about 1996,” Brian Bates, operator of JohnTV.com, said.

Bates was referring to Shelton. Brian Bates went to the 2017 trial that was put on in Henderson's courtroom. 

The accused man was convicted and sentenced to 30 years in prison. At the time, no one knew what was going on outside the courtroom.

“It just so happened, at least one, maybe two of the female prosecutors who directly prosecuted him were actually having a sexual relationship with the judge,” Henderson said.

Shelton won a second appeal with the Court of Criminal Appeals last October. 

The courts agreed Shelton did not get a fair trial due to the former judge's bias towards the prosecutors.

“The evidence did show that he did deserve a new trial,” Bates said.

The new trial held last month went the same as the first. 

Shelton was found guilty of the original human sex trafficking charge and sentenced to prison. Bates said the trial could have had a much different outcome given the amount of time passed.

“Human trafficking trials have lots of obstacles,” Bates said. “Most often you have victims that are unwilling to be retraumatized by testifying.”

Shelton was given credit for time served and announced plans in court that he planned to appeal the conviction.