INDIANAPOLIS — An 18-year-old woman is free after Indianapolis Metro Police said they helped her escape from being human trafficked at a north side hotel. The man involved is also now behind bars.
It happened last Thursday when police were called for a welfare check on the 9000 block of Wesleyan Road at a hotel near the intersection of North Michigan Road and West 86th Street on the northwest side of Indianapolis.
Upon arrival, officers made contact with an 18-year-old woman and became concerned that she was a victim of human trafficking.
For police and advocates, it showed just how close to home human trafficking can hit.
"This happens all the time, and it isn't something we can turn away from," Beth White, President and CEO of the Indiana Coalition to End Sexual Assault (ICESA), said. "They [human traffickers] are really hiding in plain sight."
It's a fact no one wants to hear, but one that is becoming even more prevalent by the day.
"What we see with people who are economically vulnerable, and more people are becoming that, trafficking tends to rise," White stated.
Just last week, IMPD officers faced that issue.
"Someone called in, was worried about this 18-year-old female that was there and called officers to come and check it out," Officer Drew Brown, Public Information Officer for IMPD, said.
WRTV obtained court documents stating that following the welfare check, officers obtained a search warrant, and detectives with IMPD’s Human Trafficking Unit eventually found the alleged trafficker and another potential victim. They also found cocaine, marijuana and “evidence of commercial sex acts,” such as cash, boxes of condoms and tubes of KY Jelly.
"It's difficult to see somebody who is in a situation where they are being coerced," Brown said.
Court documents state that, at the hospital, the 18-year-old victim told police the man in charge of the operation had beaten her the night before. The victim was reportedly upset over not getting paid for sex acts. That caused the suspect to hit her with an open hand so many times that she lost count.
The victim, who had bruising on the left side of her face, said she then tried to leave the hotel. However, the suspect reportedly grabbed her by the arms and got upset that she stood up without permission. She said she feared what might have happened if she tried to leave.
White said that type of situation is not uncommon.
"Many, many vulnerable people, they feel stuck. They feel caught. They feel like they don't have options," she explained. "They feel like the person that's trafficking them has so much control over everything about their lives that they are not able to break away and seek help."
That's why White stressed the importance of understanding what resources are available.
"Even if you have no place left to live, you have no community support... There is help available, and people do not have to live this way," she emphasized.
Police also emphasized the importance of knowing the signs when it comes to human trafficking. Brown said residents are encouraged to be vigilant and report any suspicious behaviors, such as individuals struggling to make eye contact or appearing overly submissive to a controlling companion.
"If you notice signs of physical or psychological abuse, it may be worth contacting the police for us to take a second look at it," Brown advised.
IMPD reminds the community to reach out if they suspect a trafficking situation. You can always call the Human Trafficking Advice Unit at 317-327-3542.
Police said the 31-year-old man was arrested on preliminary charges of human trafficking, corrupt business influence, possession of cocaine with intent to deal and possession of marijuana with intent to deal.
The Marion County prosecutor's office will make final charging decisions regarding that suspect.
