Man jailed for recruiting underage girls for sex

Charles William Gary Ottaviano, a man from North Queensland, has been sentenced to 12 years in prison for raping, sexually assaulting, and recruiting underage girls for sex. Four out of the five victims were under the age of 16, with the youngest being just 13 years old when the offenses took place. Charles Ottaviano allegedly targeted and manipulated vulnerable girls with his predatory behavior, offering them money, cigarettes, alcohol, and even drugs in exchange for their sexual acts.

Judge Nathan Jarro described Ottaviano's actions as motivated by selfish and sinister desires, highlighting the manipulation, corruption, and exploitation he inflicted upon the young victims. During the sentencing, Judge Jarro noted that Ottaviano's own traumatic and deprived past, filled with drugs, sex, and violence, likely contributed to his criminal behavior.

Despite this, the judge emphasized that Ottaviano's offending was driven by his own desires, as he continued to exploit the young girls despite their obvious pain and distress. The court also heard about one of the victims being threatened with physical abuse if she reported the abuse, and another struggling to breathe during the assault. Ottaviano has already served two years of his 12-year sentence in pre-sentence custody.