Florida couple accused of taking woman in, forcing her into prostitution
09/21/2020 12:12 pm PDT
By Peter Burke, WPTV
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (WPTV) -- Two West Palm Beach residents are accused of holding a woman against her will and forcing her to have sex for money after offering her safe haven.
Shanteria Ferguson and Lodier Elveus were arrested Friday on charges of human trafficking, false imprisonment and deriving proceeds from prostitution.
West Palm Beach Police said a 35-year-old woman who left her residence after a domestic dispute with her boyfriend met Ferguson, who reportedly "promised to protect her, give her shelter and help her get her children back." The woman went to Ferguson's home and fell asleep in her bed.
Police said when she woke up, Elveus was standing over her, telling her, "Get on your knees! You want to lay on this bed, you need to make some money!" WPTV reports. When she tried to leave, Elveus allegedly pulled a gun on her. Police said Ferguson and Elveus had her put on red lingerie and photographed her.
The woman told police she was forced to have sex with seven or eight men. According to the report, Ferguson gave the woman "crack cocaine and marijuana to smoke to maintain her high throughout the sexual encounters."
The woman was able to escape by jumping out of a bedroom window and running to a nearby resident's home for help.
The South Florida Sun-Sentinel reports that investigators said they later found phone records that showed Elveus and Ferguson had posted more than 300 advertisements for prostitution on a website.
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