Crime & Safety
Hemet Duo Accused of Forcing Teens Into Prostitution, Now Facing Human Trafficking Charges
The man and woman are accused of forcing the teens into sex acts for money on "numerous occasions," police said.
Two people have been charged with prostitution-related offenses, including pimping a minor and human trafficking, authorities said Thursday.
Two females, one 16, the other 18, were found to be working for the pair, Dontae Lamar Wade, 33, and Precious Janinetternal Powers, 30, both of Hemet, Riverside County sheriff's Sgt. John Sawyer said.
The suspects were arrested midday Wednesday at a residence in the 1100 block of Rosalia Avenue, Sawyer said.
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"The suspects took the [16-year-old] victim to San Bernardino and Santa Ana, where she was compelled to perform sex acts for money on numerous occasions," Sawyer said of the crimes the duo is suspected of committing.
The other girl, the 18-year-old, told investigators she had begun working as a prostitute for the suspects when she was 17 years old.
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Powers was held in lieu of $25,000 and scheduled to appear at Riverside County's Murrieta Southwest Justice Center at 8 a.m. Thursday.
No booking information was immediately available for Wade.
— City News Service contributed to this report.
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