TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WTXL) - The sentencing date has been pushed back for a Tallahassee woman found guilty of prostituting a child for 13 years.
On Friday, a jury found Celeste Chambers guilty of one-count of human trafficking by a parent, legal guardian or person with custody along with four other counts.
Monday in court, the judge granted the hearing of two motions which includes a motion for a new trial and a motion filed against jury misconduct.
Now the defense is moving to interview a juror who the prosecution says exchanged "pleasantries" with the victim, and to see that nothing was discussed about the case.
The motion hearings and sentencing will now be on February 11.
Woman accused of sex trafficking child in Leon County found guilty
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WTXL) - A Tallahassee woman accused of prostituting a child for 13 years, all in exchange for drugs has been found guilty on all counts.
Celeste Chambers was found guilty of one count of human trafficking by a parent, legal guardian, or person with custody, two counts of sexual battery on a child under the age of 12, one count of child abuse, and a count each for lewd or lascivious molestation, conduct, and battery.
Chambers is due back in court on Jan. 14 where she will be sentenced.
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WTXL) - Celeste Chambers was back in court Thursday where the trial appears to be wrapping up.
The jury heard from a few more state witnesses before resting their case. After a brief break, the defense called some of their witnesses to the stand.
This includes Nichole Revis, who lived at the location where the first incident in Leon County was said to have occurred.
Nichole Revis mentioned that she was not only Chambers drug dealer, but also a close friend. Revis admitted that she and Chambers had been using drugs often.
Revis did not see the victim much at all while she and Chambers were close.
After lunch, Chambers herself took the stand and admitted to having a drug problem. She admits that the relationship between the victim and herself was rocky at times.
Chambers said that she never had the victim perform sexual acts for anyone in return for scrap metal, chickens, money, or drugs.
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WTXL) - Celeste Chambers, a woman charged with several counts of child abuse and lewd and lascivious behavior had her first day in Leon County court Wednesday.
In June 2017, 34-year-old Chambers was arrested in Tallahassee on accusations that she sex trafficked a child from 2003 to 2016 in exchange for drugs. Court documents indicate the child was only 3 years old when the alleged abuse began.
Wednesday, the jury heard opening arguments, and many testimonies from state witnesses, including the victim, who was scared to take the stand.
The trial continues Thursday. Jennifer Meyers is in court with the latest:
4:54 p.m.:
Closing arguments have begun. The state is up first.
Norris is asking the jury to remember that this case is about sexual abuse, not about Chambers' drug habits. Norris continues to say that the drugs caused Chambers to create an unhealthy environment for the victim.
Norris: "You get to weigh the credibility. You get to be the juror."
4:26 p.m.:
The jury is back in the courtroom and is receiving their directions. Closing arguments will begin soon.
4:05 p.m.:
The state has rested their case again. The attorneys and judge are going through the final jury instructions. Closing arguments will begin after the break. Court is back in session at 4:15 pm.
3:41 p.m.:
Barbara Lemieux, the victim's paternal grandmother is now testifying. Lemieux had the victim living with her in early 2016. She claimed that the victim had many problems sleeping at night. Lemieux said she made the victim feel safe.
3:35 p.m.:
So far, the state's rebuttal witnesses have all been former child protection investigators with DCF.
3:09 p.m.:
Chambers has been on the witness stand for over an hour now. The state has finished cross examining. The defense is now redirecting.
The defense has rested their case. The state is now calling rebuttal witnesses to the stand.
2:17 p.m.:
Chambers admitted to being a drug addict and claimed that the relationship she had with the victim was rocky at times. The state is now cross examining.
2:07 p.m.:
At times during her testimony, Chambers has gotten emotional and looked like she was going to cry.
She is describing the relationship and conflicts of the victim in late 2015. The victim had been put into West Gadsden High, and began dating a boy. In 2014, the victim ran away from home. Chambers and the victim talked about this incident, but were not allowed to discuss the details.
The victim's father, William Chambers, did not have a good relationship with the victim. Chambers says that the victim blamed herself for her father moving away and wanted him back in her life.
1:59 p.m.:
Chambers is being asked about the forensics interview that was conducted by Chirstovich in 2016. Todman asked about a statement the victim made in the interview, to which Chambers is saying it wasn't true.
1:39 p.m.:
Celeste Chambers has now taken the stand to testify in her case. Chambers has previously been convicted of possession and sale of cocaine in Gadsden County.
12:34 p.m.:
Wyatt is finished with his testimony. The court is now in a lunch break and will resume at 1:30.
12:30 p.m.:
Wyatt and Chambers were married briefly. While they were married, and even after, Wyatt gave Chambers money to make payments on her car and home. Wyatt claims the money was not going toward bills, but likely toward drugs as she had become close friends with Revis.
12:17 p.m.:
Cory Chambers has completed his testimony. Kevin Wyatt is on the. Stand now. Wyatt was also accused of sex trafficking the victim. Cross examination is underway.
11:18 a.m.:
Revis has finished testifying. The state is bringing in the next witness, Cory Chambers. This is the defendant's son.
11:15 a.m.:
The state has been cross examining Revis for a few minutes now. A lot of the questions being asked are in regard to drugs, and Chambers' drug use.
11:03 a.m.:
Revis lived at the property where the victim claims the first sexual abuse incident in Leon County occurred. She does not recall seeing the victim at her house when Chambers stopped by for drugs. Revis was Chambers' friend and dealer at the time.
10:51 a.m.:
We are back from break. The defense has called Nichole Revis, who met Chambers around 2008/2009. Revis "does not want to be here," and admits to having issues with Chambers.
10:30 a.m.:
The state has rested their case. The defense says that there are about 3 or 4 witnesses that will be called, but will be "very quick." Court is in a break until 10:40 am.
10:06 a.m.:
Patel-Steingart worked with the victim, using a PTSD scale and other diagnostic tools to determine how the victim was doing. Patel-Steingart diagnosed the victim with PTSD. This is common for people who have been threatened with great bodily injury, death, or sexual abuse.
9:57 a.m.:
Norris: "Does the brain have some sort of defense mechanism when someone is trying to explain a traumatic incident?"
Patel-Steingart: "Yes...dissociation is sometimes a defense mechanism...they may not be able to remember specific details...or sequence of events."
9:47 a.m.:
Patel-Steingart has years of experience working with children who have experienced trauma, abuse, or sexual abuse, and how that can affect their development and memory.
9:38 a.m.:
McSwain has completed her testimony. The state is calling another witness to the stand, a licensed mental health counselor, Gita Patel-Steingart.
9:25 a.m.:
The defense is now cross examining McSwain. Todman has asked about the properties she visited in 2018 (the first and last locations where the victim was abused in Leon county) for her investigation.
9:06 a.m.:
McSwain is describing photos of the property that she took in 2018. Some of these photos include many locked fences, one fence that had fallen down, and the home.
8:59 a.m.
The state has called their last witness to the stand. Tamara McSwain, who works with the state attorney's office as an investigator. In 2018, she went out to the property where the victim's first sexual incident happened in Leon Co.
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WTXL) - Celeste Chambers, a woman charged with several counts of child abuse and lewd and lascivious behavior had her first day in Leon County court Wednesday.
The jury heard opening arguments, and many testimonies from state witnesses, including the victim, who was scared to take the stand.
The victim took the stand and recalled the first time, at 9 years-old, and last time, at 15 years-old, being forced to do sexual acts within Leon County.
The victim was soft spoken during the testimony and cross examination and claimed that it was hard to testify and talk about the details of the sexual incidents.
Later, Sarah Christovich, a member of the Child Protection Team who works at the Children's Home Society, took the stand. Christovich conducted a forensics interview with the victim in March 2016, and described to the jury how one works and what kind of answers a victim may give.
The jury was able to watch this taped interview where Christovich and the victim were in a neutral location talking about the sexual abuse incidents that occurred. Members of the jury heard the victim describe Chambers, her drug use and attitude, and the sexual acts she made the victim do for men in the area, usually in return for drugs.
Chambers has a number of charges against her, including child abuse, and human trafficking by a legal guardian or parent.
We'll continue following this trial and provide updates on air and on-line.
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WTXL) - Trial started Wednesday for a Tallahassee woman accused of prostituting a child for 13 years, all in exchange for drugs.
In June 2017, 34-year-old Celeste Chambers was arrested in Tallahassee on accusations that she sex trafficked a child from 2003 to 2016 in exchange for drugs. Court documents indicate the child was only 3 years old when the alleged abuse began.
Jennifer Meyers is in court with the latest:
5:18 p.m.:
Court is in recess until tomorrow at 8:30 am.
5:04 p.m.:
Todman continues to ask Wilkerson about the location where the last sexual incident occurred. Wilkerson was not aware of the exact location where the incident took place, though Todman continues to ask for the specific place.
4:58 p.m.:
Cross examination has begun for Deputy Wilkerson.
4:40 p.m.:
Christovich has finished testifying. Deputy Wilkerson has taken the stand as the state's next witness. Wilkerson was a worked with Gadsden County Sheriff's Office until 2009. He then moved over to the Leon County Sheriff's Office where he is still employed.
3:27 p.m.:
We're back in session, and picking back up watching the "forensic interview" that Christovich had with the victim.
2:40 p.m.:
The jury is now watching the "forensics interview" that Christovich had with the victim in 2016. The victim is very soft spoken, much like they were on the stand.
2:26 p.m.:
Christovich works at the Children's home society as a part of the Child Protection Team. She conducted a "forensics interview" with the victim in March 2016.
2:13 p.m.:
The victim has just finished testifying. Sarah Christovich is on the stand for the state next.
1:45 p.m.:
The victim is now back on the stand being cross examined by the defense attorney, Kareem Todman. The victim mentioned once again that she was forced to perform sexual acts for Chambers to get drugs, scrap metal, and even rent.
1:31 p.m.:
Court is back in session, however the jury has not returned to the courtroom yet. The prosecution and defense are talking about legal matters with Judge Dempsey.
12:20 p.m.:
Court is now in a lunch break until 1:20 p.m.
12:17 p.m.:
The victim spoke to the Department of Children and Families a number of times, but never told them about the sexual acts she was forced to perform. She was afraid SHE would be the one to get in trouble. She also didn't want Chambers to get into much trouble.
12:06 p.m.:
The victim has been asked to recount the first time that she was brought to a Leon County residence to perform sexual acts on three different men in a shed. During this time, the men touched her inappropriately.
Chambers received drugs for the victim's actions.
The jury consists of eight people: six women, two men.
The victim continues to recall the sexual abuse incidents that occurred in Leon County. The first time was when she was about 9, the final time was about 15 years old. These are the two incidents that charges 1-5 are referring to.
11:53 a.m.:
The victim has taken the stand. They victim mentioned that Chambers was high and did drugs often. Chambers brought the victim to multiple people at least "twice a week," and was told that "you aren't supposed to talk about it" with others. This was in exchange for drugs.
11:48 a.m
A child protection investigator has already taken the stand and discussed the first time he met with the victim in March 2016. Charlie Fields mentioned that he was interviewing the victim for an incident that was not related to this case.
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WTXL) - Trial begins Wednesday for a Tallahassee woman accused of prostituting a child for 13 years, all in exchange for drugs.
In June 2017, 34-year-old Celeste Chambers was arrested in Tallahassee on accusations that she sex trafficked a child from 2003 to 2016 in exchange for drugs. Court documents indicate the child was only 3 years old when the alleged abuse began.
Initially, the crimes were believed to span across both Leon and Gadsden counties.
In July 2018, Chambers was tried in Gadsden County on multiple counts related to battery, solicitation of sexual activity by a familial authorities, lewd and lascivious behavior and human trafficking, according to Gadsden County court officials.
Chambers was found guilty of a single charge of misdemeanor battery. She was sentenced to 11 months and 29 days in county jail and was ordered to pay more than $800 in court ordered fees and fines.
Chambers is now due in Leon County court Wednesday to face one of human trafficking by a parent, legal guardian, or person with custody, two counts of sexual battery on a child under the age of 12, one count of child abuse, and a count each for lewd or lascivious molestation, conduct, and battery.
Jury selection was completed for the trial on Monday. The trial is expected to last two days.
