PROVIDENCE, R.I. — With the stated purpose of protecting children, a Superior Court judge ensured Wednesday that Troy Footman would never again walk free by sentencing the 54-year-old to serve 85 years in prison for sex trafficking a runaway teenager out of Cheaters strip club.

Judge Susan E. McGuirl observed that the evidence at Footman's trial last July revealed the "evil actions of a dangerous, evil man — a monster."

"You did it before. You're going to do it again," said McGuirl, noting that Footman was on supervised release after serving 13 years in federal prison on near identical charges when Boston and Providence police rescued the teen from the Allens Avenue club.

But before McGuirl handed down a sentence just five years shy of the 90-year maximum allowed under the law, the teen addressed the court.

In a faint voice, her hair in a bun and her boyfriend standing behind her, the teenager told of the torment and terror she has suffered.

"You broke me down until I felt like I was nothing," the teenager said. The Providence Journal does not identify victims of sex crimes.

"You took my courage ... my dignity. Today I take it back," she said. "I don't want to be a victim anymore. I'm no longer a victim."

She forgave him, she said, to bring herself peace.

Footman, a towering Massachusetts man, smiled as she spoke. Minutes later he claimed innocence and said he would appeal.

Footman encountered the then 14-year-old girl and her 15-year-old best friend in late 2012, testimony at trial showed. Both were runaways and without money, cellphones or food. They were listed as missing in Massachusetts.

Shortly thereafter, he told them they could earn a lot of money “dancing” in Rhode Island, enough to get cars and apartments, testimony showed. He got them fake driver’s licenses, provided them with lingerie, condoms, stripper shoes, their daily shift fee and transportation to and from the Seekonk motel where they stayed. He became romantically involved with the younger of the two, both of whom took the stand against him.

He then, through threats and abuse, persuaded the teenagers to perform sex acts in back rooms at the club. They earned up to $1,000 a day, with Footman acting as their pimp and taking their money. He warned them not to speak to other pimps in the club.

Cheaters was closed down within days of the police removing the teenager who spoke Wednesday from the club after she solicited sex from a detective on July 29, 2013. Long known for its hot-pink facade, the club has since reopened under new ownership and a new name.

A jury convicted Footman last July after deliberating less than two hours in what was the state’s first sex-trafficking trial.

His lawyer, Jeffrey Peckham, on Wednesday asked that his client be sentenced to 25 years. McGuirl exceeded the recommendation of prosecutors Sara Tindall-Woodman and Stacey Veroni that he serve 80 years.

McGuirl gave him 40 years each to serve consecutively for two counts of sex trafficking a minor plus five years to serve consecutively for pandering. In addition, he must serve 30 days for driving with a suspended license.