Three people have been arrested on sex trafficking charges for allegedly coercing five women into prostitution throughout New England and in New York and New Jersey, federal officials said Friday.
The trio were arrested Wednesday, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office for Massachusetts, over allegations dating back to 2012-2016.
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Jermall Anderson, Jennifer Fortier and Latasha Anderson are accused of exploiting "women's addiction, lack of housing and economic stability to coerce them into the sex trafficking trade," acting United States Attorney Joshua Levy said in a statement.
Anderson, a 43-year-old from Tewksbury faces five counts of sex trafficking as well as a count of coercion, prosecutors said. Both 49-year-old Fortier, of New Haven, and 37-year-old Latasha Anderson, of Lynn, face two counts of sex trafficking; Fortier is also accused of transporting a person across state lines for prostitution.
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It wasn't immediately clear if they had attorneys who can speak to the charges.
Prosecutors say the three used violence, threats and drugs — both giving and withholding heroin and cocaine — to have the women prostitute on their behalf throughout the Northeast.
"These three are alleged to have specifically targeted vulnerable female victims — women going through substance abuse rehabilitation or facing homelessness. Human traffickers often seek out victims in unstable situations, using force, fraud and coercion to control their every move, making them feel that they are solely reliant on the trafficker," said Michael Krol, special agent in charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New England, in a statement.
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Each sex trafficking charge carries a sentence of 15 years to life in prison, according to prosecutors.
