Prostitution case gets pleas

A man and woman arrested after the woman allegedly forced a 13-year-old girl into prostitution to support her drug habit were arraigned in their first court appearances Thursday.

Jennifer Ellen Johnson, 43, Kalispell, pleaded not guilty on a charge of aggravated promotion of prostitution, for which she could face a sentence of between two years and life in prison. Her bail is currently set at $102,000.

Daniel Smith, 32, pleaded not guilty to charges of sexual intercourse without consent, sexual assault and accountability to sexual intercourse without consent, for which he could face a sentence of between four and 300 years in prison. His bail is currently set at $105,000.

According to court documents, Johnson allegedly sent the girl with Smith to his trailer in Columbia Falls one or two times per week, where he would have sex with her and occasionally allow a 19-year-old friend to also have sex with her. In exchange, Smith would allegedly provide Johnson with drugs.

The most recent incident is alleged to have occurred May 18. The activities were reported to police May 20 when the girl told her babysitter about the incident and the babysitter took her to the hospital.

The 19-year-old has not been charged.

Johnson also pleaded not guilty to an unrelated charge of issuing a bad check, a felony common scheme.