Plea deals in Minot prostitution case

A pair accused of trafficking a woman to North Dakota to work in prostitution have struck deals after pleading guilty to lesser charges.

Prosecutors had charged 37-year-old Andrea Beck and 46-year-old Richard Spain with human trafficking, after investigators said the pair convinced a woman to move from Nebraska to North Dakota to work as a waitress, but later coerced the victim into prostitution to pay off debts.

Both Beck and Spain pleaded guilty to amended charges of C-felony facilitating prostitution. Beck changed her plea Wednesday, and Spain changed his Thursday.

Judge Stacy Louser sentenced both to four months of time already served, followed by two years of supervised probation.

Beck still faces a series of drug and evidence tampering charges in a case file in McKenzie County.