A transient man who was arrested during a national investigation into commercial child sex trafficking was sentenced Thursday to 120 days in jail, according to the prosecution.
James E. Donaldson, 43, pleaded guilty in Clark County Superior Court to promoting travel for prostitution in connection with the sting operation conducted by the FBI’s Child Exploitation Task Force in October 2015. He initially faced a charge of second-degree promoting prostitution.
He was one of three people in Clark County arrested.
According to a probable cause affidavit, Donaldson drove a 24-year-old woman to a hotel on Northeast 41st Street in Vancouver for the purpose of prostitution.
He told investigators that he came to the hotel to book a room, where he intended to stay for the week. However, when investigators called the phone number associated with the meet-up, Donaldson’s phone rang, the affidavit states. He later admitted to knowing the woman, court records said.
In addition to his sentence, Donaldson will serve 12 months of community custody and is not to have contact with the victim in the case. He was given credit for 48 days in custody, Deputy Prosecutor Patrick Robinson said.