Felony charges filed in teen Interent prostitution case | KXAN.com

Police: Girl, 16, trafficked for Web sex operation

Updated: Wednesday, 02 Jun 2010, 12:22 PM CDT
Published : Wednesday, 02 Jun 2010, 12:22 PM CDT

* Jacqueline Ingles

AUSTIN, (KXAN) - Two Austinites face felony charges after police say they trafficked a 16-year-old girl from another country and made her sell sex online.

Jennifer Russell and Quincy Gholar have each been indcited on three counts:

* Public Indecency – Compelling Prostitution – Child – 2nd degree felony
* Public Indecency – Aggravated Promotion of Prostitution – 3rd degree felony
* Engaging in Organized crome: Engaging in Organized Criminal Activity – Combination (Promotion of Prostitution) – state jail felony

In late April, a prostitution sting in South Austin found an undocumented 16-year-old girl was being advertised and sold for sex online.

Undercover officers conducted a sting at La Quinta Inn off Oltorf Street on Thursday that ended with the arrest of Russell, 22, and Gholar, 35. Russell's infant daughter was in the back seat of the car at the time.

Russell and Gholar's rap sheets, however, began long before they set up shop at that hotel.

Both were busted in Kansas City, Kan., in 2008 at Settle Inn motel and charged with promoting prostitution.

The couple had apparently operated in other states like Pennsylvania and Nevada.

"They travel, they advertise on certain Web sites, then put their phone numbers," said Lt. Jerry Gonzalez with the Austin Police Department.

Police said over a one-week period, undercover officers arranged to meet the girl for sex via the online Web site, Backpage.com .

They said Gholar and Russell, who is also a working prostitute, brokered the deal.

Detectives told KXAN the girl was paid $150 for a half hour of sex.

Police believe Gholar and Russell also made a deal with the girl they knew by the nickname "Secret." For half of the $150 she made, they would provide her with transportation, protection and online advertising.

Police said they picked up the teen at a Greyhound bus station. Although it's unclear how they first came into contact or if the girl worked for them in other cities and states. They were not clear about the girl's home country.

"The whole goal of this investigation was to determine if the girl was 16," Gonzalez explained.

Gonzalez said this case may meet the criteria to be tried by the U.S. Attorney as human trafficking.

Police said Russell told them she runs an escort business.

Gonzalez said both the undocumented teen and Russell's daughter are now in the care of CPS.

He went on to say that while the teen was arrested for prostitution, she is being treated as a victim.

Felony charges filed in teen Interent prostitution case | KXAN.com