DENVER — A Denver man was sentenced on Wednesday to 21 years in prison after pleading guilty to human trafficking as part of a plea deal.
William Galbreath pleaded guilty to pimping in 2020 and was sentenced to four years of probation. While on probation, Galbreath "allegedly identified multiple vulnerable women, coerced them to engage in commercial sex with promises of large sums of money, and created fake businesses to launder the proceeds of the commercial sex" between April 2021 and April 2024, according to the Denver District Attorney's Office.
"He [pleaded] guilty to pimping [in 2020], and he got a probationary sentence, which was very unfortunate, but our laws in Colorado need some strengthening," said Ashley Morgan, who leads the Human Trafficking Unit within the Denver District Attorney’s Office. “This individual was trafficking multiple other victims while he was on probation.”
Galbreath also "controlled their daily lives and all aspects of their finances," according to the DA's office.
Galbreath pleaded guilty to one count of human trafficking in January as part of a plea deal. On Wednesday, he was sentenced to 21 years in prison. Judge Nikea Bland also ordered him to register as a sex offender, according to the DA's office.
“William Galbreath preyed upon and manipulated his victims to satisfy his own greed. For that, he will now pay a heavy price. This strong sentence makes clear that if you engage in human trafficking in Denver, you will be caught and prosecuted to the full extent of the law,” said Denver District Attorney John Walsh in a statement. “I want to recognize the prosecutors, investigators, victim advocates, paralegals and legal assistants from my office for their outstanding work on the case. I also want to thank the Colorado Department of Revenue, whose agents played a key role in bringing about today’s successful resolution. Finally, I want to acknowledge From Silenced to Saved, Voluntad, and Aurora Mental Health and Recovery, all of which have provided invaluable support to the survivors.”
Crime
Understanding human trafficking and its prevalence in Colorado
In January, Denver7's Colette Bordelon took an in-depth look at the complexity of human trafficking and its prevalence in Colorado. During that report, she spoke to a woman who was one of a handful of victims connected to Galbreath. The woman spoke to Denver7 using the alias, Jade.
“In the beginning, I was ignored. I wasn't treated as highly as I thought I was. I wasn't able to do certain things, speak to family, go to see family. I was very much under a strict schedule," Jade said. “I was definitely isolated."
Jade said she was forced into a world where every decision was dictated.
“I was on a very strict workout plan. I was up [at] 9 a.m. working out, and then I had a specific diet that I had to follow. I had specific ways, how I was supposed to dress and look and talk. I was taught every day on how to speak," Jade recalled. “I was rewarded for, you know, doing the most."
The coercion lasted for roughly a decade, according to Jade. When she tried to escape, there were people instantly searching for her.
“I got harmed when I was there. When I would try to leave, it was a fight," said Jade.
- Hear more from Jade and those working to stop human trafficking in Colorado in the video player below
Jade is now working with the Denver DA's Office and an organization called From Silenced to Saved, which supports survivors through the court process. She told Denver7 that she feels she has taken her power back.
“I would like to close the chapter and write a new book," Jade said. "There's people out there that will listen to you. There's people out there that will help you.”
You can read more of Bordelon's report through this link.
If you or someone you know needs help, you are not alone. You can call Colorado’s Human Trafficking Hotline at 866-455-5075 or text 720-999-9724.
Denver7 is committed to making a difference in our community by standing up for what's right, listening, lending a helping hand and following through on promises. See that work in action, in the videos above.