Jay Lavone Lloyd, 40, and Taquolia Tameek Thomas, 19, of Lubbock, TX were arrested last Friday on felony charges for human trafficking and forced prostitution in Midland, TX.
The Midland County Sheriff's department put together an undercover sting after noticing a number of advertisements for escorts in the area. During the sting they made 7 other arrests and discovered a 17 year-old High School student, from Lubbock, being forced into prostitution. At the age of 17, the teen is considered a minor under Texas law.
Authorities believe that Lloyd and Thomas had been operating a sex trafficking ring throughout western Texas. “They travel all over Texas,” said but Midland Sgt. Ray Weatherby. Authorities are still investigating the extent of the trafficking operation, and believe it to be focused in the Lubbock, Midland-Odessa and Amarillo areas.
During the sting, officers posed as men buying sex at a local motel. Thomas spoke with officers on the phone to make arrangements to buy a prostitute.
The 17 year-old girl from Lubbock showed up at the room, agreed to have sex and accepted money from the undercover officers. After officers made themselves known, she told authorities she was forced into prostitution, given a condom and told to do whatever the clients wanted her to do.
Thomas and Lloyd were arrested when they came to pickup the teenage girl from the motel.
The teen was arrested and charged with misdemeanor prostitution, which authorities said was necessary for the case. Details from her statement and how she was forced into prostitution have not been made available by authorities.
Lloyd and Thomas are both in jail with a $500,000 bond for each of them. They are being charged with compelling prostitution and human trafficking.
No comments:
Post a Comment