HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, Fla. (CBS12) — A suspected sex trafficking duo was nabbed after authorities rescued a missing 15-year-old girl who had been exploited for months.
Detectives with the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office (HCSO) Human Trafficking Section identified 36-year-old Brittany Armstrong and 22-year-old Terrance Whitfield Jr. as the girl’s traffickers.
“This young girl was exploited and abused by individuals who viewed her as nothing more than a way to make money,” said HCSO Sheriff Chad Chronister. “Let me be clear, anyone who preys on children will be found, arrested, and held accountable.”
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On June 24, detectives and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) rescued the juvenile in a joint operation.
Armstrong, who is already a convicted felon, reportedly helped advertise the teen online as an escort.
HCSO says Whitfield’s role in the operation was to arrange the meetings, communicate with sex buyers, and act as security for the victim during the sexual encounters.
Deputies say the duo then pocketed all of the proceeds.
The duo was booked for a count of human trafficking a minor for commercial sexual activity, with Whitfield receiving additional counts of deriving support from proceeds of prostitution and unlawful use of a two-way communication device.
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