UPDATE: Two Plead Guilty in Teen Sex Trafficking Case
ST. CLOUD -- Two more people charged with sex trafficking crimes involving a 17-year-old girl have pleaded guilty.
Twenty-five-year-old Alan Woods pleaded guilty to a felony count of engaging in sex trafficking and one felony count of promoting prostitution of someone under 18-years-old.
Twenty-three-year-old Jaemie Drum has pleaded guilty to aiding and abetting the sex trafficking of someone under 18-years-old.
According to the criminal complaint, the girl moved in with Woods and Drum and soon thereafter the couple started trafficking her for sex. Court records show Woods bought the phone used to set up the appointments, provided rides to the appointments and would beat her if she refused to have sex for money.
The trafficking came to light last July when 27-year-old Ashley Pick-Gassama, Drum and 23-year-old Deandre Jones allegedly took the girl up to Fargo to provide sex for money. Records show the girl didn't want to go but Drum referenced previous threats to her family.
The teen was arrested in Fargo on July 13th after working in the area for several hours. Investigators say the victim said Pick-Gassama discussed how the girl could make more money, provided her with a capsule that would help her stay awake, and bought her condoms. The girl said she made $900 for four hours of work and that Pick-Gassama took the money. The teen also said she went on other calls making $250 on one call and $150 on another, and Drum took that money.
Fargo police stopped a vehicle driven by Jones and arrested the teen. She told officers Jones was also getting a share of the money she made.
Prosecutors will argue for a prison term of 20 years when Woods is sentenced in October. Drum has agreed to cooperate with the state in exchange for a stayed prison term of just under 11 years.
A Stearns County judge sentenced Pick-Gassama to seven-and-a-half years in prison in April.
Jones case is still pending.