Two arrested in Dallas for allegedly sex trafficking teens
DALLAS (CBSDFW.COM) - Authorities announced on Friday, May 27 that two men have been federally charged with allegedly sex trafficking teenage girls in Dallas.
LaDarius Alton Smith, 33, and Ulises Rene Garcia, 22, were both indicted on Tuesday on two counts each of sex trafficking a child. Both men have been ordered detained pending trial.
Court documents said that the investigation began after the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services contacted the North Texas Trafficking Task Force to report that a 16-year-old runaway -- identified as JD 1 -- had been spotted on a known commercial sex website.
An undercover agent responded to the ad and arranged to meet at a Dallas hotel on April 12.
When the agent arrived, they found a 17-year-old girl, identified in court documents as JD 2, who said she had locked herself out of the room. Garcia gave JD 2 a room key and she began talking to the agent. Smith spoke with the agent on the phone and promised to bring JD 1 to the hotel.
A surveillance team observed a dark blue BMW enter the hotel's parking lot. Smith got out and escorted JD 1 and another 17-year-old, JD 3, to the hotel room.
Agents rescued the girls and transported them to the Dallas Children's Advocacy Center for comprehensive care.
Law enforcement then began searching the hotel room. They found a backpack containing JD 1's high school schedule.
If convicted, Smith and Garcia each face up to life in federal prison.
Officials added that if you believe you or someone you know is a victim of human trafficking, call local law enforcement or the confidential National Human Trafficking Hotline, staffed 24/7, at 1-888-373-7888.