Man Charged With Trafficking Woman to Pay Defense Lawyer

ST. CLOUD -- A St. Cloud man is accused of trafficking a woman to help pay for his defense lawyer in a domestic assault case against the same woman.

Thirty-one-year-old Richard Dunston is charged with sex trafficking and 15-counts of violating a no-contact order against the victim. He also faces four felony domestic assault charges from incidents in April.

Police learned of the alleged trafficking when undercover investigators responded to an ad for an escort earlier this month. The undercover officer recognized the woman from previous domestic assault encounters.

Court records show information in the woman's cell phone revealed Dunston was trafficking the woman to raise money for his defense on the domestic assault charges and was also seen in photos with children he was not to have contact with.

Several of the messages were about the woman having sex for money and how many appointments she had booked and how much money she was making.

Dunston was arrested and told investigators he hadn't seen the woman since the no-contact order was issued.

The domestic assault charges are still making their way through the court system. Dunston is due back in court Thursday.