File image of a Miami Springs Police vehicle
A man who drove a female victim from Illinois to Miami Springs to force her into prostitution is facing human trafficking and other charges, authorities said.
Dennis Washington, 42, was arrested Thursday at a hotel on Northwest 36th Street, Miami Springs Police officials said.
Officials said officers had responded to the hotel after receiving reports about a possible human trafficking incident and encountered the victim, who told them she was being prostituted by Washington.
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When officers found Washington on the hotel's fifth floor, he charged at them and started to fight with them but was eventually taken into custody, officials said.
The victim told detectives that she'd been recruited in the Chicago area in November by another man who forced her into prostitution.
Eventually she met Washington, who told her he would "save her," but she said she'd been given drugs and when she woke up, all her money and identification had been taken by Washington, officials said.
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Washington told her she was going to work for him, and for several weeks he arranged "dates" for her and forced her to prostitute, officials said.
On Tuesday, Washington drove the victim from Illinois to Miami Springs and continued to prostitute her and give her drugs, until police arrived at the hotel, officials said.
In addition to the human trafficking charges, Washington is charged with renting space to use for prostitution, battery on a police officer and resisting arrest with violence.
Washington was booked into jail and remained behind bars Friday, records showed. Attorney information wasn't available.
