Human Trafficking case in Murfreesboro

Mar 22, 2017 at 10:40 am by bryan


What started as a traffic stop for a broken taillight, ended with a call to a specialized investigator who focuses on Human Trafficking in Tennessee.

41 Year old Moncelle Lamont Voorhies was pulled over by Murfreesboro Police on Monday night around 7:30. Once stopped, Voorhies allegedly interrupted the officer multiple times when the officer tried to talk to a female passenger in the car. The police report shows that Voorhies stated, "Why are you talking to my girl Gibbs." Officer Palmer Gibbs was the one who was attempting to find out who the passenger was and if she was in danger.

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In the car police found a set of digital scales with a white powdery residue on them that tested positive for cocaine.

Officer Gibbs arrested Voorhies for possession of drug paraphernalia and later noted in a report that the female passenger appeared to be scared and upset. Officer Gibbs wrote, "She advised that she has recently been introduced to prostitution and she is a new fit." The officer then asked the 22 year old woman who holds her money and she advised it was Voorhies. She then stated that she is currently staying at the Days Inn located on Chaffin Place in Murfreesboro.

Taking all of the information into consideration, Murfreesboro Police made a call to a specialist with the state of Tennessee who specifically investigates Human Trafficking cases. The officers then headed to the Days Inn.

Once inside the motel room, they met with a second woman who admitted she too was a prostitute. The second female was also 22 years of age. A cellphone in the room was found to hold text messages discussing hourly rates pertaining to prostitution, according to a police arrest report.

Evidently, the women were staying in a room that was filled with syringes likely used for injecting illegal drugs. The officer who first met with the two females wrote in a report, "(The two women) were offered a place to go and get away from prostitution. They both denied assistance." Officer Gibbs noted that during the conversation, both women were starting to have withdrawals from their ongoing drug use.

A stolen handgun was found in the room and according to one of the females, the gun was located on the side of the room where Voorhies sleeps. The revolver was reported as stolen in Murfreesboro.

The report went on to describe the skin condition of one of the females stating, "(One woman) had multiple abscesses on her body from IV drug use. She had several fresh track marks all over her body."

The two women were each charged with prostitution after refusing transportation to a safe home for those who want to get out of the sex trafficking trade.

Source:

MPD Arrest Reports 17-5845 A,B,C

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