More than 170 arrested in Florida human trafficking case
More than 170 people were arrested on charges ranging from solicitation of prostitution to human trafficking of a minor in a case involving a girl who was 13 when the two-year investigation began, Florida law enforcement authorities announced Tuesday.
The investigation began in November 2018 when a Tallahassee police investigator noticed photos of a minor on a website offering sex for money. The investigation involved a massive amount of electronic evidence that took months to evaluate, authorities said.
“These crimes took place all over the city,” Tallahassee Police Chief Lawrence Revell said during a news conference. “Never have we had a case of this magnitude.”
The crimes also went far beyond the city line and included suspects from Alabama and Mississippi. Tallahassee police worked with several local, state and federal agencies during the investigation.
Authorities say 106 people were charged with felonies, including 19 on federal charges. Charges included enticement and coercion of a minor to engage in sexual activity, enticement and coercion of a minor to engage in prostitution, production and/or receipt of child pornography, transfer of obscene material to a minor, sex trafficking a minor and conspiracy to sex traffic a minor.
Another 72 suspects were charged with misdemeanors.
While the victim was 13 when the case began, Tallahassee police investigator Beth Bascom said, “Don’t kid yourself that it wasn’t happening prior to being documented.”
“This was a child … who worked through her birthday as if it did not exist, who worked on Thanksgiving while we sat at tables and enjoyed our families, who worked through Christmas as if it wasn’t even there,” Bascom said.
The victim did not want to give a formal statement, but eventually wants a judge and others to know how it has affected her.
“She does have things to say,” Bascom said. “She was able to say that this has seriously impacted her life and it is very difficult at times, but that she is working on getting her life back.”
Facing felony charges:
- Michael Tyrone Harris, 51, Havana
- Jarred A. Jenkins, 26, Department of Corrections
- Travis Alexander Thomas, 37, Midway
- Jamichael Reshard Cox, 30, Department of Corrections
- Anthony Rivers, 25, Tallahassee
- Momodou Lamin Janneh, 26, Tallahassee
- Stephen Lee Pichard, 53, Tallahassee
- Joshua Ricardo Curry, Tallahassee
- Briahnna Venus Banks, 24, Tallahassee
- Helen Kimberly Anderson, 27, Tallahassee
- O’bryan K Finley, 36, Tallahassee
- Erik Oben Rivers, 47, Tallahassee
- Shuntae Lamar Kirksey, 25, Tallahassee
- Manor Joseph III, 57, Tallahassee
- Daryl Lamar Howard Jr., 34, Tallahassee
- Christopher L. Williams Jr., 24, Tallahassee
- Tony Dickey, 36, Tallahassee
- Jordan Jenkins, 27, Tallahassee
- Trayveontaye Jamarquez Cheesmon, 21, Chattahoochee
- Joseph Austin, Jr., 45, Tallahassee
- Tinara Lashay Spears, 22, Tallahassee
- Essence Katana Blue, 24, Tallahassee
- Maricio Lavant Scott, 30, Tallahassee
- Alfred Bernard Marktorion Simmons, Jr., 22, Tallahassee
- Adavion D Barnes, 23, Tallahassee
- Norphles Washington, 28, Tallahassee
- Malcolm Jerome Carter, 29, Tallahassee
- Phillip Wesley Watkins, 42, Tallahassee
- Samuel Bryant, 39, Tallahassee
- Michael DeWayne Wooten, 42, Tallahassee
- Jontae Jamel Jackson, 39, Tallahassee
- William Glenn Ellis, Jr., 58, Quincy
- Jermaine Miller, 29, Tallahassee
- Brian Omar Johnson, 49, Tallahassee
- Jacob Dewitt Greene, 32, Tallahassee
- Eric Sheldon Daniel, 30, Tallahassee
- Michael Tybireous Jarcord, 51, Tallahassee
- Terrence Faulk, 38, Tallahassee
- Danny Earl Richards, 50, Telogia, Fla.
- Brian Gerald Winsett, 50, Tallahassee
- Dustin Kyle Claypool, 23, Tallahassee
- Tokusei J. Pfeiffer, 44, Tallahassee
- Durell Thomas, 34, Tallahassee
- Houston Wagner IV, 23, Tallahassee
- Martravius Terrell Gilbert, 21, Tallahassee
- John Fitzgerald Coates, 56, Tallahassee
- Ontario D. Lawrence, 45, Tallahassee
- Mark L. Barineau, 58, Tallahassee
- Michael O’Hara Jones II, 34, Tallahassee
- Jamil Reymundo Gardner, 31, Tallahassee
- Henrarles Tankachap Ekokobe, 26, Tallahassee
- Max Oliver Serge Saint Albin, 26, Unknown
- Korenna N. Williams, 23, Tallahassee
- Jamar D. Nicholson, 23, Tallahassee
- Kenneth L. Monroe, 29, Tallahassee
- Anthony Hill, Jr., 31, Tallahassee
- Synara Bouie 37, Quincy
- Anthony B. Logan, 24, Tallahassee
- Latonya Wilburn, 46, Tallahassee
- David Zachariah Brown, Jr., 23, Tallahassee
- George Williams, 43, Perry
- Brittany K. Brown, 30, Tallahassee
- Robert L. Wiggins, Jr., 33, Tallahassee
- Sherley Duvain, 21, Tallahassee
- Brandon Marteze Richardson, 30, Tallahassee
- Steven Garrett, 30, Tallahassee
- Bacari Phillips, 29, Tallahassee
- Jasmine Fields, 20, Tallahassee
- Dwayne Ladarris Blake, 31, Tallahassee
- Robert Lee Williams, Jr., 24, Monticello
- Damion Javier Boone, 25, Tallahassee
- Marq-Twoine D. Lindsey, 26, Tallahassee
- Tavaris Devon Paul, 25, Quincy
- Rasheed Amin Mercer, 38, Tallahassee
- Damonta Tyrell Morris, 26, Tallahassee
- Marco W. Gaines, 29, Quincy
- DeAntwon Leshawn Ray, 29, Quincy
- Kendrick Lorenzo Hayes, 29, Tallahassee
- Victor Molina, 22, Quincy
- Garland Darnell Bullock, 31, Tallahassee
- Maurice D. Towels, 38, Tallahassee
- Dwight C. Cross, Jr., 28, Tallahassee
- Alpha O. Gaines, Jr., 27, Tallahassee
- Bahkarie Floyd Sweeting, 23, Tallahassee
- Kelly Devarius Payne, 32, Tallahassee
- Jacorbin Tharon Simmons, 30, Tallahassee
- Brandon Marshawn Morris, 24, Tallahassee
- Ali F Barber, Jr., 19, Tallahassee
- Ellis Ibiso Jack, 22, Tallahassee
- Charrez Constantion, Jr., 25, Quincy
- Dontavious Perkins, 23, Cario, Ga.
- Dontavious Phillips, 29, Midway
- Frederick Lamar Jones, 31, Havana
- Apollo S. Kenon, Jr., 25, Gretna
- Gerardo Lopez De Nava Cazares, 24, Monticello
- Tevaris James Hogan, Sr., 30, Tallahassee
- Quentiz Allen Barnes, 31, Tallahassee
- Denzel Javon Washington, 23, Tallahassee
- Jerry Lee Moore, Jr., 27, Tallahassee
- Kurtis Antonio Morris, 40, Tallahassee
- Jirard Quinn Kincherlow, 38, Montgomery, Ala.
- Eldred Keith Jennings, 39, Lamont, Fla.
- Keith Antonia Johnson, 50, Tallahassee
- Detroy Lamont Garrett, 42, Tallahassee
- Destin Reche Banks, 32, Tallahassee
- Daniel Alexander Mitchell, 32, Tallahassee
