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Bond hearing for Tampa 'madame' case
FOX 13's Regina Gonzalez reports.
TAMPA, Fla. - The woman accused of running a human trafficking ring out of Tampa Bay area massage parlors and barbershops is expected in court on Monday for a bond hearing.
Investigators say Lina Payne lured women from Venezuela and Colombia on the promise of work only to force them into prostitution. The Florida Department of Law Enforcement said she did this with the help of her own family.
An attorney representing Payne and her boyfriend, Sebastian Jurado, entered a ‘not guilty’ plea for the couple last week in a Hillsborough County courtroom.
The pair - who are currently in jail - face RICO charges and multiple other felonies related to a sex trafficking operation in Hillsborough and Manatee counties. Lina's son, Andres Payne, also faces charges.
During surveillance operations at a barbershop in Tampa, investigators watched Lina's boyfriend, Jurado, bringing in women who were rolling their suitcases behind them.
A Manatee County Sheriff's Office human trafficking operation resulted in the arrests of several Johns and the rescue of women from at least one location tied to Payne.
Documents detail that a victim told investigators that Payne loaned her $40,000-$50,000 to come to the U.S. and said she could pay her back by working in one of her establishments.
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They had no idea it would mean having sex with strangers.
Lina is expected in court at 9 a.m.
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