St. Cloud Man Charged with Promoting, Profiting From Prostitution
ST. CLOUD -- An investigation by the Central Minnesota Human Trafficking Task Force has led to charges against a St. Cloud man.
Fifty-five-year-old John Elrod is charged with sex trafficking and receiving profits from prostitution.
According to the criminal complaint, an undercover officer responded to an ad posted on a website known to advertise prostitution back in December and struck an agreement to pay for sex acts at a St. Cloud apartment.
When undercover officers arrived they saw a man enter the apartment and leave about twenty minutes later.
The officer approached the man, who admitted he just had sex with a prostitute. The man told authorities it was the woman who let him into the building and there was another man with her.
The investigation continued as police learned the man had met up with another "prostitute" at the same apartment in the past.
Several search warrants were used in the investigation including a search of both victim's phones showing multiple texts giving permission to use the suspect's apartment for prostitution.
Record show officers made contact with the victims who said their friend named "John" would let them use his 2nd-floor apartment to engage in prostitution in exchange for money, beer, and cigarettes.
Police arrested Elrod Tuesday at his St. Cloud apartment. Records show Elrod admitted to investigators he received roughly $100 from one victim and a few cans of "chew" from the other victim in exchange for him letting them use his apartment for prostitution.