Couple Arrested for Human Trafficking, Prostitution

Sex sells, which is why many people try to make money off sex crimes. Many people in Florida engage in human trafficking, prostitution, and other offenses, resulting in arrests, jail time, and other consequences.

A Pembroke Pines couple was recently arrested on charges for various human trafficking and prostitution offenses. The Miami Springs Police Department took the man and woman into custody at the Clarion Inn & Suites Miami International Airport.

The 30-year-old man and 23-year-old woman were arrested after the Miami-Dade State Attorney’s Office Human Trafficking Task Force received a tip on October 18. The tip came from the man’s probation officer, who claimed that the victim was in a sex slave situation. A friend of the victim had contacted the probation officer. Police went to the Clarion Inn to locate the victim and did not find her at first. However, officers located her at the hotel the following and took her to safety.

The man and woman had manipulated the victim into engaging in sex work. They took her earnings and subjected her to various forms of coercion. For example, the victim was ordered to dance at strip clubs in Hallandale Beach as well as have sex with clients.

The man had allegedly sexually battered the victim, while the woman had allegedly coerced the victim to move from Kentucky to Miami. Together, the two allegedly coerced the victim into stripping and prostitution.

The victim told authorities that she was ordered to earn $1,000 a day. This meant that she had to have sex with three men every day. She said she had to give all her money to the man and woman because she did not have a bank account.

The Investigations Division of the Miami Springs Police Department followed up on the anonymous tip and found the alleged victim at a hotel. During the investigation, the couple pulled up to the hotel in their vehicle and were both immediately detained by police.

The man and woman were booked into the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center. They later appeared in bond court before a Miami-Dade circuit judge. The woman’s bond was set at $18,000 and she was told to “stay out of trouble.” The man was known to be a violent offender, so his bond was set at $43,000. He was on active probation out of Broward County for robbery and aggravated battery with a firearm.

Both the man and the woman were ordered to stay away from the victim. The man faces charges of human trafficking, sexual battery, and directing another person for prostitution. The woman faces charges of human trafficking, deriving support from prostitution, and a separate prostitution charge.

Contact a Legal Professional for Help

Florida is a hot spot for human trafficking. Law enforcement officials are trying to crack down on these crimes.

Those arrested for these crimes can face serious penalties. Get a solid defense from a Florida minor sex offense lawyer from the Law Offices of Gilbert A. Schaffnit. To schedule a consultation, fill out the online form or call (352) 505-1799.

Source:

local10.com/news/local/2023/10/21/south-florida-couple-arrested-for-human-trafficking-police-say/