TAMPA, Fla. — Tampa law enforcement officers have arrested a man they say trafficked a minor to engage in prostitution across the country.
According to a criminal complaint from the Department of Justice, officers were involved in an operation to identify human traffickers in Tampa. As part of the operation, an undercover officer arranged to engage in prostitution with a girl at a local hotel in exchange for $800, a DOJ release says.
The DOJ says on April 9 a man, later identified as 32-year-old Jamel Muldrew, dropped the girl off at the hotel and drove to a nearby mall parking lot to wait. She was met by officers in the hotel who then drove to the parking lot to arrest Muldrew, according to the complaint.
Officers say they found multiple "fictitious identify documents" for both Muldrew and the minor.
According to the DOJ, an investigation revealed that Muldrew had trafficked the girl across the country to engage in prostitution, including in Texas, New Jersey, Maryland, North Carolina, Georgia, and ultimately here in Florida.
Jamel Muldrew faces charges of sex trafficking of a minor, interstate transportation of a person to engage in prostitution, and enticement of a person to travel interstate for prostitution. If convicted on all counts, the complaint says Muldrew could face life in federal prison.
Anyone with information on this case or any other human trafficking case is asked to call Homeland Security Investigations' toll-free Tip Line at 1-866-DHS-2423 or fill out the online tip form.
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