Charges regarding an alleged Florida sex trafficking ring have been brought against a second Florida man in a federal criminal complaint.
The man is accused of using three minor girls — 12, 14 and 15 years old — for prostitution. The man reportedly rented out local hotel rooms in his name, and would drive the girls to meet their clients in those rooms. Earlier in June, another Florida man was arrested and charged with running the sex trafficking operation.
The operation is believed to have advertised using the Internet. In May, an undercover Miami-Dade police officer arranged a date with the 15-year-old after seeing her picture in an online listing. He called a cellphone number in the listing to set up a meeting. After arriving at the designated location, the officer arrested the girl when she collected his prepayment.
The girl’s arrest led to the incarceration of the other two minors and details about the operation. The girls allegedly reported that one of the men was responsible for driving them to the designated hotel rooms to meet with clients, and the other took care of paying for the gas, rooms, a cellphone for contacting clients, hair products, jewelry, makeup and condoms. Clients were charged $50 and $120 for various sex acts, and the proceeds were turned over to the men.
At least one of the men is alleged to have had sex with each of the girls before every work shift. The charges against one of the men also include significant physical abuse. If convicted, the men face a maximum penalty of life in prison.
Source: Sun Sentinel, “Second man charged with child sex trafficking,” Wayne K. Roustan, Aug. 2, 2012
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