14-year-old rescued in sex trafficking bust at Houston motel
HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- A medical call at a north Houston motel Thursday turned into an arrest for human trafficking of a minor.
The Harris County Precinct 4 Office responded to a medical call in the 1600 block of North Freeway at a Super 8 Motel.
The medical call was from a guest with a health issue, but the person told responders something suspicious was going on in another room.
According to Precinct 4 Constable Mark Herman, deputies found 29-year-old Allen Lee Auston in a nearby motel room with a 26-year-old woman, a 2-year-old child, and a 14-year-old girl who had been listed as a runaway.
Herman said the girl ran away from home about a month ago.
"She began to give a false name, and long story short, she ended up being a runaway from a small town about a hundred miles outside Houston," he said.
Herman believes the girl was "groomed" by Auston to make money for him.
"Through their investigation, they were able to determine the girl had been used for sexual purposes and he had basically been pimping her out on the streets of north Harris County," he said.
After a brief investigation, deputies arrested Auston and charged him with human trafficking of a minor, compelling prostitution of a minor and aggravated promotion of prostitution.
In court, the charging document that was read indicated the three women were taken to a section of Bissonett referred to as the 'blaze,' known for prostitution.
The manager of the Super 8 Motel said Auston had checked in about three days prior. Two days before, he said a girl and another woman had tried to break into his truck. He didn't know if it was the same people who were staying with him.
Auston, who has a criminal record dating back nine years in Harris County, is being held in jail without bond.
The 14-year-old runaway was taken to Texas Children's Hospital for assessment. Herman said her parents were told she had been found and were taking her back home. The 26-year-old woman and child were also taken into custody.
