MIAMI – A 29-year-old man is facing human trafficking charges after prosecutors say he made an Arkansas woman engage in prostitution and exotic dancing after tricking her into flying to Miami.
According to the Miami-Dade State Attorney’s Office, Kyron Richardson communicated with the 21-year-old on social media and began “grooming” her, telling her she was “too beautiful to be in Little Rock” and that she should be in Miami with him.
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Richardson “offered the victim a chance to join his lifestyle by providing her with a one-way airline ticket to Miami, without explaining what she would be doing while in Florida,” a news release states.
After arriving in Miami, prosecutors said Richardson took her to a home in Liberty City, where she met three other women. The victim told police that she witnessed Richardson become violent with the other women, causing her to fear angering him.
“The victim also indicated that Richardson owned a rifle which caused her to fear for her life,” the news release states. “She felt she would anger Richardson if she did not earn money through prostitution dates and exotic dancing. All the money collected by the victim from the exotic dancing and prostitution went to Richardson.”
Prosecutors said on Thanksgiving, the woman texted her father that she was in trouble and sent him the address.
The woman’s father called Miami police and on Tuesday, officials with the State Attorney’s Office Human Trafficking Task Force arrested Richardson.
Authorities said Richardson had $18,000 cash on him at the time of his arrest. Police also seized a rifle and a handgun following a search warrant.
“The raw merchandizing of people’s lives will not be tolerated in this community,” Miami-Dade State Attorney Katherine Fernandez Rundle said, in part, in a statement.
Richardson was charged with two counts of human trafficking, one count of unlawful use of a communications device and deriving support from the proceeds of prostitution.