EXCLUSIVE: Men allegedly lured human trafficking victim to Houston with job offer
HOUSTON (KTRK) -- We're learning more about the two men accused of forcing a woman into prostitution in northwest Houston.
Delanny Malveaux and Dorran Gilliespie faced a judge on felony charges of compelling prostitution, human trafficking and possession of a controlled substance.
In court, both men told the judge they were from Houston. Gilliespie said he lived with his wife and four children.
It is unclear why the men allegedly went to Arizona, where they met their 39 year-old victim and brought her to Houston.
Prosecutor Joanne Musick said the woman agreed to go with Malveaux and Gilliespie because they promised her a concessions job at a Houston carnival and she has family in the area.
Police said they rescued the woman from the Baron Inn on West 34th Street Saturday morning and placed both men in custody.
Prosecutors say by then, the woman had been with Malveaux and Gilliespie for about a week and a half.
"I can't really say that this particular case has anything to do with Super Bowl, we don't have any indication that that's going on, but certainly that's the idea. Those that are wanting to traffic women and children are hitting Houston for Super Bowl week," said Musick.
According to investigators, she was working a concessions stand in Phoenix when she met Malveaux and Gilliespie in mid-December.
PHOTOS: Human trafficking suspects appear in Houston courtroom
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Earlier this month, the men allegedly told her they had work in Texas, where she would manage a carnival concessions stand.
Malveaux is accused of bringing her and another woman to Texas, where he threatened her to prostitute herself.
According to documents read in court, the other woman was ordered to punch the victim, before ingesting some narcotics.
When the woman was unable to "make a date" in a reasonable amount of time, Malveaux and Gilliespie allegedly told her she would have to prostitute herself out until she made enough money to pay for the hotel room.
At one point, she was able to get a hold of her phone, texting her ex-husband with information about the hotel and room number.
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Police said the ex-husband contacted the National Human Trafficking Hotline, giving them the details.
Officers went straight to the hotel room, and that is when they found the four people inside the room.
Court documents reveal a woman was found holding a bag of trash, while Malveaux was next to a table with marijuana, a glass meth pipe, and a torch light.
Gillespie, meantime, was allegedly found next to the victim, who was passed out on the floor.
The room smelled of marijuana, according to investigators, and 3.6 grams of meth and .6 grams of powdered cocaine were taken from the room.
After interviewing the other woman, investigators said she accused the men of compelling her to prostitute. She was also beaten, according to court documents.
Text messages found on her cell phone helped verify her story, detectives state in court documents.
Kathryn Griffin is a peer recovery coach who helps counsel trafficking victims. She said these cases are increasing due to the Super Bowl.
"The whole Super Bowl is about making money, for the legitimate businesses, which is a great thing, as well as those who are in illegal practices," she said.
She's not surprised to hear cases like the one this weekend saying she gets many calls each day with victims needing help.
"Just this last Friday we saw this surge of 12 to 16-year-olds by the hundreds out on Bissonnet," she said.
Griffin said victims are brought in because the Super Bowl means more potential customers. She said they are often trafficked in from out of state.
"Sex sells. You can sell a person up to 60 times a day," she said.
However, advocates like Griffin are determined to make Houston the place these victims are saved, not a new place for them to be exploited.
"We've got to start cutting the head off this ugly, wicked snake and help to rehabilitate and restore these victims," Griffin said.
