CENTENNIAL — For four years, Dawan Eugene Smith forced three women into prostitution in Aurora and Denver, prosecutors say. On Friday, an Arapahoe County District Court jury found him guilty of pimping, racketeering, pandering, theft, 3rd degree assault and forced sexual assault.
From 2007 to 2010, prosecutors said, Smith, now 33, held the three women against their will and forced them to perform sexual acts for clients and himself. He also took them out-of-state to work in Texas, New Jersey, Hawaii and New York.
The first victim, whose age has not been been released, managed to escape in January 2008 while working in New Jersey. Smith, however, was able to get her back in his control.
In 2009, Smith captured his second victim — who is now 19 years old — and in June 2010, he took in his third victim — who is now 20 years old.
The women were regularly assaulted and beaten by Smith if they did not do what he said. Among his coercion tactics, Smith would threaten the lives’ of their families if they tried to escape. Smith also had another woman living with him — the 24-year-old mother of his baby son — who was used to keep the women in line.
“He was using mind control on her, too, but she was essentially in cahoots with him,” said Casimir Spencer, spokeswoman for the Arapahoe County District Attorney’s Office.
The case broke open in September 2010 when this fourth woman — who pled guilty in May 2011 to felony pimping and will be sentenced later this year — had taken one of the victims to the America Hotel in Aurora.
When the woman went inside to perform an act of prostitution, the victim left the car and went into the hotel and told the manager what was happening. The manager called the police, which led to Smith’s arrest.
Smith’s sentencing is scheduled for Apr. 27.
Kristen Leigh Painter: 303-954-1638 or kpainter@denverpost.com
