Tevon Harris, also known as "Da Kidd" and "King Kidd," made his initial appearance in court Monday. The indictment was returned March 20 and he was arrested March 26 by members of the Houston FBI Innocence Lost Task Force.
Harris is charged with two counts of trafficking of a children under 18 for commercial sex while knowing they were underage and using force, fraud or coercion to cause them to engage in a commercial sex act. The crimes allegedly occurred in January and July of last year.
An investigation by the Houston FBI Innocence Lost Task Force, which includes such agencies as the Houston Police Department, developed this case using statements from victims as well as online advertisements for the victims' services and hotel records from several hotels.
According to information released at the detention hearing Monday, Harris met his victims on social networking sites, and he would tell them he was going to help them become models in order to gain their trust.
Officials said Harris would pick up his victims, take them to motel rooms and force them to have sex with him. He also allegedly took away their cell phones, cutting off their communication with the outside world. One of the victims was allegedly beaten with a towel rack torn from a motel room wall when Harris found her using a phone to call her mother for help.
In court, it was presented that Harris used violence to keep the minors cooperating with him. In one instance, he allegedly deprived a victim of food more than four days because he did not believe she was servicing his clients well enough. Harris also reportedly supplied that victim with marijuana and alcohol.
Officials said the victims were photographed and their images were posted in online ads for prostitution. Any money they earned was kept by Harris, according to the information presented in court. Harris was ordered detained pending trial, currently set before United States District Judge Sim Lake on June 4, 2013.
Harris faces up to life in prison and a fine of up to $250,000 if convicted.
___________________________________________________________
Take ABC13 with you!
Download our free apps for iPhone, iPad, Android and Blackberry devices