Judge rejects sex trafficker’s request to remove guilty plea

An eastern Pennsylvania man who earlier pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit sex trafficking by force and related charges is now trying to remove his guilty plea, claiming he only claimed guilt in an effort to get a reduced sentence.

Allentown resident Corderro Cody, 28, testified Friday that, although he admitted to forcing a dozen women to have sex for money, he now believed he could fight the charges, the Allentown Morning Call reported.

“There was never a day when I felt I was guilty,” Cody was quoted by the Morning Call.

Cody submitted his guilty plea in October, days before his trial was to start, the Morning Call added. His victims and various other witnesses were slated to testify to his involvement in “The Program,” an interstate sex-trafficking operation that manipulated women through violence, coercion, humiliation and controlling access to their children.

U.S. District Judge Edward G. Smith rejected Cody’s motion, saying that Cody did not establish a fair reason for a withdrawal, NBC stated in a related report.

“I don’t find any credible facts in the record to suggest Mr. Cody had a credible defense,” Smith was quoted by the Morning Call.

As part of Cody’s guilty plea, attorneys had agreed on a 30-year prison sentence and a fine of $3.75 million, NBC added. He is expected to be sentenced next month.