P. v. Tillis
A jury convicted Rodney Lydell Tillis of human trafficking (Pen. Code, 236.1, subd. (a)),[1] pandering by encouraging ( 266i, subd. (a)(2)) and sexual penetration by a foreign object ( 289, subd. (a)(1)). Thereafter, Tillis waived a jury trial on the priors and admitted two prior felony convictions, for which he had served one prior prison term ( 667.5, 668, 1203, subd. (e)(4)). The trial court sentenced Tillis to a total prison term of 15 years. On appeal, Tillis contends his convictions should be reversed because of instructional errors, insufficiency of the evidence and various sentencing errors. Court agree that the trial court prejudicially erred by failing to properly instruct the jury on the elements of pandering by encouraging. That error translated into prejudicial instructional error on the crime of human trafficking as well. We therefore reverse Tillis's convictions for pandering and human trafficking. In all other respects, Court affirm the judgment.
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