Recently, a successful sting operation in Omaha, Nebraska broke up a prostitution ring that had been operating since 2009. The leader of the ring, 27-year old Johnelle L. Bell, and his assistant, 21-year old Brittany Lawson, have both been apprehended.
According to the Fox News website, the operation had been running through a website called Backpage.com and had been advertising "smokin' hot babes," which were actually coerced prostitutes as low as age 17.
Bell is pleading not guilty to a 12-count indictment of various charges associated with the ring, which allegedly ran all across the country and included many different states. According to the indictment, Bell attracted girls as young as 17 and made them work for him using various tactics including threats, violence and even branding.
The ring is said to be actually operating from Little Rock, Arkansas, but has run through many different states. Workers ran over several states, advertising locations and encouraging calls.
Des Moines, Iowa was among the many different locations discovered in the advertisements. One ad on Backpage.com gave the location of a Des Moines motel room where a woman would be waiting.
The company that owns the Backpage.com website has resisted removing any of the ads on its site for prostitution and is being investigated because it is believed to be profiting from the prostitution ads.
Bell and Lawson are being charged in Des Moines because many of the crimes were actually committed in Iowa. Bell has been released and his court appearance is scheduled for next week.
According to the Fox News website, the operation had been running through a website called Backpage.com and had been advertising "smokin' hot babes," which were actually coerced prostitutes as low as age 17.
Bell is pleading not guilty to a 12-count indictment of various charges associated with the ring, which allegedly ran all across the country and included many different states. According to the indictment, Bell attracted girls as young as 17 and made them work for him using various tactics including threats, violence and even branding.
The ring is said to be actually operating from Little Rock, Arkansas, but has run through many different states. Workers ran over several states, advertising locations and encouraging calls.
Des Moines, Iowa was among the many different locations discovered in the advertisements. One ad on Backpage.com gave the location of a Des Moines motel room where a woman would be waiting.
The company that owns the Backpage.com website has resisted removing any of the ads on its site for prostitution and is being investigated because it is believed to be profiting from the prostitution ads.
Bell and Lawson are being charged in Des Moines because many of the crimes were actually committed in Iowa. Bell has been released and his court appearance is scheduled for next week.
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