First of Four Sentenced for Sexual Assault, Trafficking of 15-Year-Old Chico Girl
CHICO, CA — May 14th 2026 — “The first of four defendants accused of sexually assaulting a 15-year-old Chico girl was sentenced Wednesday to 14 years in state prison for her role in bringing the girl into the world of sex trafficking.
Destiny Ferrini, 21, of Chico, had previously pleaded no contest in March 2026 to counts of sexual assault and furnishing cocaine and methamphetamine to a minor. She had also pleaded no contest to unrelated prior charges of felony vandalism and felony resisting arrest, as well as probation violations.
Butte County District Attorney Mike Ramsey said the case against Ferrini and three Chico men began in October 2025, when Chico Police detectives interviewed the 15-year-old runaway victim following a referral from the Butte County Child Services Division of the county’s social services department.
The girl told detectives she had been a juvenile prostitute in Chico and had worked as a prostitute alongside her new friend, Ferrini, who introduced her to Ferrini’s own pimp. A search warrant was executed on Ferrini’s phone, where images and videos were found showing the girl engaged in sex acts with multiple adult males, later identified as Kyle Grinnell, 34, Tycoryean James, 33, and Zachary Johnson, 37. The images were filmed by Ferrini.
During Ferrini’s sentencing on Wednesday, the young victim gave a victim impact statement before Butte County Superior Court Judge Michael Deems. She turned to Ferrini and said: ‘Destiny, you flipped my life upside down. You deserve a very long sentence. You affected me so badly, but I refuse to let you take my happiness anymore.’
Earlier this week, the three male defendants, Grinnell, James, and Johnson, had a preliminary hearing at which evidence was presented showing that Ferrini brought the 15-year-old victim to Johnson and Grinnell’s house in Chico, where all four defendants provided the victim with large amounts of cocaine. The victim was subsequently sexually assaulted multiple times over a two- day period.
The victim testified at the hearing that she repeatedly told the male defendants she did not want to have sex and that she was afraid to leave the house.
Chico Police detectives testified to the victim’s very young appearance and petite size, noting that the victim weighed approximately 90 pounds, whereas the men weighed between 200 and 300 pounds.
Before the preliminary hearing ended on May 11, 2026, Grinnell and James each entered pleas.
Grinnell pleaded no contest to sexual assault of a minor and to felony counts of child endangerment and possession of cocaine for sale. The child endangerment and cocaine counts stemmed from Grinnell allowing his two toddlers to live in the house, where large quantities of drugs and guns were accessible to them. Grinnell is expected to be sentenced to 8 years and 4 months in state prison at his sentencing hearing on June 10, 2026.
James pleaded no contest to two counts of forcible rape and is expected to be sentenced to 16 years in state prison on June 10, 2026.
Johnson did not plead and was held to answer after the preliminary hearing on multiple counts, including forcible rape, providing drugs to a minor, possession for sale of cocaine, and possession of three firearms, including an illegal short-barreled shotgun. He will return to court on May 27, 2026, to set a date for his jury trial. He is currently held in custody at the Butte County Jail without bail.”
