May
18
2012
Missing teen found in Henrico prostitution ring bust
Posted on: 9:55 pm, May 17, 2012, by Angela Pellerano, updated on: 11:10am, May 18, 2012
HENRICO, Va. (WTVR) – A terrifying case for a Florida family came to an end in Central Virginia, with the bust of a prostitution ring.
A middle school student, who vanished without a trace in Miami three months ago, was found Wednesday in the West End.
Miami police said the 13-year-old girl ran away from a drug treatment center in Miami on February 24. They said she was an excellent middle school student, but had a drug addiction.
…
Investigators said she was caught in a prostitution ring. Police said there were several other people in the room with her. While police said the girl was found unharmed, the FBI and Henrico police won’t say yet how she ended up so far away from home.
See the full article from “WTVR”
May
18
2012
Wifredo A Ferrer, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida; John V Gillies, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Miami Field Office; and Franklin C Adderly, Chief of Police, Ft. Lauderdale Police Department, announced that Van Lawson Williams, 49, of Ft. Lauderdale, was arrested on charges of sex trafficking of minors, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1591(a)(1). Williams made his initial appearance today in federal court in Ft.
Lauderdale before United States Magistrate Judge Barry S Seltzer and will have a bond hearing on May 24, 2012 at 11:00 AM before United States Magistrate Judge Lurana S Snow.
According to the affidavit filed in support of the criminal complaint, Williams met minor females, many of them runaways, in his neighborhood and invited them to stay with him at his Ft. Lauderdale residence, promising them food and shelter. Williams would then convince the girls to work as prostitutes. Williams would allegedly charge the prostitution customers a fee for “renting” one of his bedrooms and would collect all the money the customers paid to have sex with the minor females.
See the full article from “7thSpace Interactive (press release)”
May
17
2012
… Next entry: Jane’s Addiction’s Perry Farrell talks sex (or not)
The seventh annual Exxxotica convention will jam the Miami Beach Convention Center Friday through Sunday with more than 8,000 sex-industry performers and their fans. South Florida resident Leena Sky is a little of both, but not at all what you may expect from a porn actress.
On Monday night, Leena, who asked to be identified only by her professional name, completed her fifth hardcore film since taking her tentative first steps into adult entertainment a few months ago with live webcam performances from her Coral Springs home. Her resume comes with references to Naked.com, Bang Bros., and the Cheetah strip club in Pompano Beach.
When she is not making porn or stripping, she has another life as a 33-year-old mother of two preschoolers who earns a living as a psychology professor at a Broward County college, as well as instructing students via two other online university programs. Leena, who has worked as a licensed mental-health counselor, has three college degrees, including an undergraduate diploma from Clemson University and a master’s and a doctorate in education from the online Argosy University.
See the full article from “Sun-Sentinel (blog)”
May
17
2012
FORT LAUDERDALE (CBSMiami) – A Fort Lauderdale man with a long rap sheet is back in jail on charges of human sex trafficking of minors.
Van Williams, 49 of Fort Lauderdale, was taken into custody Wednesday May 16th by the FBI.
He made his initial appearance in federal court Thursday and will have a bond hearing on May 24th.
According to the criminal complaint, Williams met young girls, many of them underage runaways, in his neighborhood and invited them to stay with him at his Fort Lauderdale home. He would promise them food and shelter.
Williams would then convince the girls to work as prostitutes, according to the affidavit.
Williams would allegedly charge the prostitution customers a fee for “renting” one of his bedrooms and would collect all the money the customers paid to have sex with the minor girls.
See the full article from “CBS Local”
May
17
2012
Elroy Phillips will remain in federal prison in Miami while prosecutors and his defense attorney file a joint motion outlining again why they think he should be set free. U.S. District Court Judge Joan A. Lenard demanded the paperwork at a hearing this afternoon in Miami instead of accepting a joint motion to release Phillips.
The new paperwork is yet another legal hurdle for Phillips, who thought he was going to be released two weeks ago when prosecutors finally agreed to drop the charges.
Lenard sentenced Phillips to prison in 2003 after a trial that hinged on the testimony of one West Palm Beach cop. That cop, Michael Ghent, has since given up his license to practice as an officer due to allegations that he shook down a massage parlor and was selling drugs on the side. The FBI, Phillips’ attorney, and prosecutors interviewed Ghent earlier this year, and multiple lies he told helped prosecutors decide that Phillips should be released.
See the full article from “Miami New Times (blog)”