Third Person Charged In Jessup Human Trafficking Case

Police: 16-year-old girl was forced into prostitution

JESSUP, Md. —

Howard County police have arrested a third person in connection with a human trafficking investigation involving a 16-year-old girl.

Jessica Lynn Smitherman, 31, of Laurel, was charged with human trafficking. Police said investigators believe that Smitherman conspired with Andre Lamar Russell, 28, of Laurel, and Heather Lynn Harding, 23, of Woodbine, in late May and early June to force the teen into prostitution at motels in Jessup.

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3 Arrested For Alleged Child Sex Trafficking After Teen Found In N.O. Hotel

NEW ORLEANS, LA (WVUE) -
Three people were arrested in connection with child sex trafficking after police discovered a 17-year-old, who had been reported missing, engaged in prostitution at a downtown hotel, according to Louisiana State Police.

Kendrick Pigott, 29, Gregory Russell, 31, and Tiara Smothers, 20, were arrested on Thursday and booked into the Orleans Parish Lock-Up on a charge of trafficking of children for sexual purposes. Pigott was also booked with seven counts of non-compliance for failure to register as a sex offender and one count of unlawful use of a social networking website.

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