Keys to understanding the case of Ghislaine Maxwell 3:23
(CNN) --
Ghislaine Maxwell should receive a sentence of between 30 and 55 years in prison for her role in Jeffrey Epstein's sexual abuse of underage girls between 1994 and 2004, according to a sentencing memorandum filed by federal prosecutors this Thursday. Wednesday.
In response to Maxwell's attorneys' request for a significantly lighter sentence due to his "difficult and traumatic childhood" and his claim that he is unjustly responsible for Epstein's crimes, US Attorney Damian Williams wrote that they found the argument both "absurd as offensive."
"Maxwell was an adult who made her own choices. She made the choice to sexually exploit numerous underage girls. She made the choice to conspire with Epstein for years, working as partners in crime and causing devastating harm to vulnerable victims. She must be held accountable for her disturbing role in a sprawling child exploitation scheme," Williams wrote.
"The lenient sentence the defendant is seeking would send the message that there is one set of laws for the rich and powerful, and another set for everyone else."
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Maxwell, 60, is scheduled to be sentenced on Tuesday, June 28.
She was found guilty in federal court in New York on five federal charges, including child sex trafficking.
Prosecutors described Maxwell's conduct as "outrageously predatory," calling her a "calculating, sophisticated and dangerous criminal who preyed on vulnerable young girls and groomed them for sexual abuse."
"Maxwell's victims trusted her: she was a seemingly respectable woman who took an interest in them and promised help. She was key to the entire scheme operation, and Epstein could not have committed these crimes without her," Williams wrote.
US prosecutors also said Maxwell "enjoyed a remarkable life of privilege, having lived in luxury and moving in social circles among the famous and powerful", countering his lawyer's claims that he had a difficult upbringing.
In fact, it was his wealth and status that could "provide a veneer of respectability for Epstein that lulled the victims and their families into a false sense of security," prosecutors argued.
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"Although many defendants appear in sentencing courts with compelling mitigating factors of a difficult upbringing, Maxwell is not among them," Williams wrote.
"While the defendant may have had a marginally less positive experience than other exceptionally wealthy children, it is hard to see how harsh conversation at the family dinner table is an excuse to participate in a child exploitation scheme."
Additionally, prosecutors said Ghislaine Maxwell has shown no acceptance of responsibility for the harm she has caused her victims.
Instead, she has attempted to portray herself as a victim, the memo states.
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Ghislaine Maxwell's claims that she has been unfairly treated during her detention at the Metropolitan Detention Center are also inaccurate, according to prosecutors.
Maxwell has "enjoyed remarkable privileges as a high-profile inmate that far outweigh the benefits accorded to the average inmate," including access to a private shower, television, desktop, laptop, and her own space to spend time outside of prison. his cell, the memo states.
Prosecutors are also asking the court to impose a maximum allowable fine of $750,000.
"As part of a disturbing deal with Jeffrey Epstein, Maxwell identified, groomed and abused multiple victims, while enjoying a life of extraordinary luxury and privilege. In his wake, Maxwell left his victims permanently scarred with emotional and psychological injuries. That The damage can never be undone, but it can be taken into account in crafting a just sentence for Maxwell's crimes," Williams wrote.
Ghislaine Maxwell Jeffrey Epstein
