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Sixth suspect wanted in human trafficking ring
Ariel Plasencia reports
TAMPA, Fla. - Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody announced a new human trafficking task force, which is helping to investigate a prostitution ring in Hillsborough and Manatee counties that’s already resulted in five arrests.
"I am proud to announce that Florida has its first ever statewide, specialized, human trafficking strike team, made up of these specially trained individuals to include victims’ advocates that are trained on human trafficking resources," Moody said during a news conference on Thursday.
Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody with new human trafficking task force at Thursday's news conference.
The Florida Human Trafficking Strike Team is investigating the sex trafficking operation allegedly organized and run by Lina Payne, who’s accused of using her massage parlors as fronts for a prostitution ring that stretched from Tampa, Bradenton and Sarasota.
Pictured: Lina Payne.
"The strike team conducted a series of operations, and we employed numerous investigative techniques to gather evidence," FDLE Special Agent in Charge Mark Brutnell said. "What we found was a fully functional, highly organized, international human trafficking operation based here in Hillsborough County and Manatee County."
The strike team determined that "during the course of the last decade, over 117 victims have been cycled through her businesses," the FDLE said on Thursday.
FDLE Special Agent in Charge Mark Brutnell speaking at a news conference with the Florida attorney general.
"I will give Lina credit for one thing: She was a heck of a bookkeeper," Brutnell said. "Very good for us, very bad for her. The evidence is voluminous."
PREVIOUS: Fifth suspect charged in multi-county sex trafficking investigation
Payne’s "lover," Sebastion Juardo; her son, Andres Payne; her son’s biological father, Santiago Moreno; and an employee, Karen McGlynn, have also been arrested in connection to the prostitution ring.
Documents show Payne traveled to Venezuela and Columbia and brought women back to the Tampa Bay area. She promised them work to pay off their travel debts but instead, forced them into prostitution, according to arrest affidavits.
"These victims were living within the commercial sex businesses," Brutnell said. "They had no accessible modes of transportation. Their food and meals were brought to them. They could not leave."
MORE: Accused Tampa 'madam' set for bond hearing in human trafficking case
Pictured: Sandra Garavito.
Payne was arrested last week after investigators said she tried to leave the country. A judge denied bond at her court hearing this week.
The new strike team is now looking to arrest a sixth person, Sandra Garavito, who is a "key player," according to Brutnell.
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