An 18-year-old Ottawa woman who led an operation that trafficked other teenagers using social media such as Facebook and Twitter will serve the remainder of her sentence in an adult prison, a judge determined today.

Kailey Oliver-Machado was sentenced in November to 6½ years in a correctional facility, but Crown and defence lawyers argued over whether she should serve the time in prison or at a youth facility.​

Justice Diane Lahaie heard the arguments from both sides on Jan. 6 and said she needed more time to consider the decision.

On Wednesday, she said Oliver-Machado did a good job finishing her high school diploma while in custody, but a federal penitentiary is in her best interest because she has finished all the rehabilitation courses at the youth facility she has been in since June 2012.

Lahaie also said Oliver-Machado needs special staff and an individual rehabilitation plan so she can be reintegrated back into the community once her sentence is over.

Victim's mother says it's the best place for her

Oliver-Machado, now 18, was arrested in 2012 when she was 15 for leading the operation with two other teens as they recruited other girls through sites like Facebook and Twitter before drugging and beating them, and forcing them into prostitution.

Oliver-Machado was the only one to enter a not guilty plea,but she was found guilty this January.

The two other teens entered mid-trial guilty pleas in September 2013.

The mother of one of the victims said the nicest thing she could say is she thinks this is the best place for Oliver-Machado to be.

"I think [my daughter] will be happy but she's still living with this, she's in prison forever," said the mother, who can't be identified because it could identify her daughter.

"I think Justice Lahaie today made a great decision… why should she be around youth?"

Though she was sentenced to 6½ years, she was given credit for time already served in pre-sentence custody, meaning she will only serve another two years and 325 days.