Saturday, September 27, 2014

Slow Saturday Special: Teen Walks the Streets in Arlington

"Arlington police help break human trafficking case; Case involved 17-year-old girl, police say" by John R. Ellement | Globe staff   September 19, 2014

Two men are facing federal human trafficking charges that they coerced a 17-year-old Arlington girl into prostitution in Boston and then took her to Rhode Island for several days before she could alert authorities, Arlington police said.

Ricky Wallace, 33, and Kemont Bowie, 34, both of Pawtucket, R.I., allegedly worked together to identify girls or women in the Boston area whom they could pressure into working as prostitutes in Pawtucket, according to Arlington police and federal court records.

Both Wallace and Bowie have pleaded not guilty to human trafficking charges in US District Court in Providence and are being held without bail, records show.

According to Arlington police, the girl was allegedly kidnapped from a location in Boston on Aug. 19 and taken to Pawtucket, where she remained for several days until she was able to contact staff at her residential program in Arlington.

A federal human trafficking task force, which included Officer James Smith of the Arlington police, investigated the incident and located the girl, authorities said.

“Thanks to the work of Arlington police Officer James Smith and our federal partners, one less child is being exploited and two more dangerous felons are off the streets,” Arlington Police Chief Frederick Ryan said in a statement.

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