In the end, Andre Barnes, who sex trafficked teens and fed the heroin habit of some of his addicted prostitutes, opted to sit out much of his sentencing.

This was a very different Barnes from the man who defended himself at trial, testifying by asking himself questions on the stand as if he were a defense lawyer and then answering them.

On Friday, Barnes chose to stay outside the courtroom as Assistant U.S. Attorney Melissa Marangola outlined why he deserved a severe sentence — preferably life, she recommended.

Barnes was in custody elsewhere in the building as the sentencing proceeded without him in federal court. At the end, U.S. District Judge David Larimer, who ordered that Barnes be brought into the courtroom for the decision, sentenced Barnes to 27 years in prison.

"Barnes forced women and children into having sex with more than 10 strangers per day so that he could make money," Marangola argued in pre-sentencing court papers. "Even through the trial, Barnes never showed remorse for the girls whose lives he damaged; he abused them, mocked them and verbally assaulted them in a room full of jurors and court staff. And for that, Andre Barnes should spend the rest of his adult life in federal prison."

A jury in November convicted Barnes, 42, of nine sex-trafficking counts, including three charges that he trafficked minors.

Barnes would seek out vulnerable women for prostitution, visiting social services offices and homeless shelters, trial testimony showed. He would buy heroin for addicted prostitutes. He did so, he said at trial, to ensure that his prostitutes did not suffer from withdrawals.

"I believe you have to be able to be a quality service provider," Barnes said.

In his pre-sentencing court papers, Barnes invoked federal maritime laws and forfeiture laws, at one point noting that he is not, in fact, a sea vessel. He contended that he should not be subjected to trial or punishment by federal court.

He made similar arguments in earlier court papers. They were just as unsuccessful then and as unconvincing to Larimer as they were Friday.

Christopher Johnson Jr., who also trafficked prostitutes with Barnes, earlier pleaded guilty to a sex-trafficking conspiracy and was sentenced Wednesday to 8⅓ years.

GCRAIG@Gannett.com