Connecticut Cops Nab Seven in Shocking Teen Human Trafficking Case

HARTFORD, CT- In a disturbing story out of Connecticut’s capital city, three 14-year-old girls were turned into virtual sex slaves after what began as a routine sleepover, Hartford police said, according to the CTPost. 

According to the Hartford Police Department, the three girls’ sleepover in May took a bad turn when one of the girls wanted to meet up with someone to smoke and “chill.” The other two girls decided to go along. Police said the girls were taken from one home, unknown to any of them, then to a hotel room, and finally to an apartment where the girls were raped multiple times, the CT Post reported. 

An investigation conducted by the Regionalized Human Trafficking Recovery Task Force, a collaboration between several Hartford-region police agencies, victim services, and other organizations, began as a missing persons case, Hartford Police Lt. Sean Michel said, according to CT Insider. Investigators later learned the three females had been trafficked for three days at various locations. 

The story began after two aunts of the missing girls started looking into their disappearances, which seemed out of character for the girls. They began scouring the area where they were last spotted, spending the day knocking on doors throughout the neighborhood and speaking to strangers on the street. They finally talked to someone who believed she had seen something. 

Armed with that information, the two aunts barged into an apartment where the girls had been spotted, finding the three 14-year-olds inside, police said. 

As a result of the case, seven men have been arrested in connection with the human trafficking. The suspects were identified as Ahmad Compton, 36; James Williams, 35; Bernard Mickens, 38; Raheem Jones, 50; Donovan Dunn, 19; Tyrod Jackson, 19; and Tahjay Wilson, 20. All but Jones are listed as Hartford residents; Jones has no known address, police said. 

The incident unfolded when the girls were picked up by Dunn, Jackson, and a third man, who was not identified. They were taken to the basement of Dunn’s parents’ home on Ridgefield Street, Hartford, where Dunn’s bedroom was located. Three other men eventually showed up: Wilson and two others, only identified as “Earl” and “Ave.” They have yet to be identified, according to the arrest warrant. 

In forensic interviews, the girls said they had “consensual” sex with some of the men, however, they were raped by others while at Dunn’s home, the warrants said. 

“Jane Doe 3 said the guys had them smoke marijuana and drink ‘Don Julio’...after feeling intoxicated, it was a ‘free-for-all,’” the warrant stated. 

The next morning at around 5 a.m., the men brought the girls to a “trap house” and told them to go into the basement and wait for their return. After a while, the girls became hungry, went outside, and decided to walk around. Williams then drove up on a scooter and began speaking with them, the girls told police. 

One of the girls asked Williams if he had somewhere “where they could chill with him,” and he left and returned shortly afterwards with Mickens. They were driven to the Super 8 motel on West Service Road, Hartford, where they were again sexually assaulted, this time by Williams, Mickens, and Compton, who arrived at the motel room. Compton told the girls he was “going to get them business” and gave them hand signals to determine how much time they would spend with a guy,” police said. 

“Compton continued to tell them he was going to get them flip phones, and take them to the spots, a trap house and his house. He was going to introduce them to one of his daughters, that’s about to graduate, and his seven other kids. Compton said they had to say they were 20 years old and they were his cousins,” the warrant read. 

The girls were then driven to another spot and told to keep their heads down, then crossed railroad tracks on foot and were brought to Jones, whom Compton referred to as “uncle,” police said. 

Compton gave Jones explicit instructions to “watch over them, and he was not allowed to let them out,” the warrant read. 

“Before Compton left, he told them he was going to his house, and he was coming back to do business with them,” the warrant continued. 

It was shortly afterward that the aunts found the girls, the CT Post reported, citing the warrant. 

According to the mother of one of the girls, her sisters “made friends” in the neighborhood while searching for the girls. They learned the girls were spotted at an apartment on Nelton Way, Hartford, the warrant stated. The aunts started knocking at the apartment door, which Jones eventually answered, although he denied that the girls were there. 

“Because the neighbors were adamant they saw the girls go inside the apartment, a neighbor pushed the male away from the door, her sisters went inside, and located all three girls inside a bedroom,” the warrant stated. 

Compton, Williams, Dunn, and Jones were all charged with three counts of trafficking in persons, while Compton, Williams, Jackson, Dunn and Wilson were charged with three counts of first-degree sexual assault, court records showed. 

Williams was additionally charged with one count of criminal attempt to commit first-degree sexual assault, and Mickens was charged with one count each of commercial sexual abuse of a minor, first-degree sexual assault, unlawful restraint, and illegal sexual contact with a minor. Jones was also charged with first-degree hindering prosecution, police said. 

All are being held on bond except Wilson; Compton and Williams on $1 million bonds, Mickens and Jones are being held on $750,000 bonds, Dunn on a $650,000 bond, and Jackson on a $250,000 bond, according to court records. Wilson was released after posting a $250,000 bond and was scheduled to appear in court Nov. 25.

Jackson was scheduled for a Nov. 19 court appearance, while Jones is to appear on Dec. 2, Williams on Dec. 3, Compton on Dec. 9, and Dunn on Dec. 10.

There was no information about Mickens’ court appearance, which occurred earlier in November. 

CT Insider reports that Dunn was apprehended in Port Charlotte, Florida, and was extradited to Connecticut.  

Police said further arrests are expected.