Two women, a man plead not guilty to sex trafficking charges
Two women and a man facing a series of sex trafficking and false imprisonment charges pleaded not guilty during a Columbus Recorder's Court hearing Friday.
Charges against DeAngelo M. Walker, 24, of Columbus, Kimari Hill, 24, of metro Atlanta, and Bryshae Shanturia McBride, 20, of Columbus were bound over to Superior Court. Judge Julius Hunter ordered Walker held without bond in the Muscogee County Jail on 13 of 20 charges and bonds were set at more than $250,000 each for Hill and McBride.
Hunter recessed the court for nearly 10 minutes after public defender Charles Lykins asked the judge to consider dismissing two counts of trafficking a person for sexual servitude against Walker because Lykins thought the law didn't cover adults. One victim in the case is a 16-year-old girl, a juvenile, and the other is a 21-year-old woman. After taking a recess to review the law, Hunter denied Lykins' request based on his interpretation that the law included children and adults.
The suspects are accused of kidnapping the 16-year-old on Dec. 9 and the woman on Dec. 15. Pictures of both were placed in ads on the backpage.com website to solicit sex at the home in east Columbus.
Columbus Police Detective Brittney Hayes told the court that she was working part time Wednesday at the Wal-Mart, 2801 Airport Thruway, when a 21-year-old woman said she had been kidnapped and raped. The woman said she was kidnapped Dec. 15 from a home in Hampton, Ga., and driven to a home on Gleason Avenue in Columbus.
After she arrived, the woman was told that she had to make some money to stay at the home. An ad was placed on the backpage.com and she was forced to have sex with men. She gave the money to Walker, Hayes said.
On the night at Wal-Mart, the woman said she was able to send a picture to her mother for help. Walker had directed her to enter the store and steal condoms and lubricating cream while Walker waited for her. Walker was detained at the store and later charged.
On Gleason Avenue, police surrounded the home where voices were heard but no one would answer the door. At 9 a.m. Thursday, police served a search warrant at the house where they found Hill and the juvenile.
Hill is accused of photographing the girl and placing photos of her on the backpage.com for sex. The suspect collected money from the juvenile performing the sexual acts. Hill also is accused of pointing a gun at the girl to prevent her from leaving the home.
During an interview with the juvenile, Hayes said the girl was kidnapped from Columbus Technical College on Dec. 9. She was forced to have sex with eight men and McBride, called "Baby Mama," gave the money to Walker.
A .380-caliber pistol was found on Hill during a search of the home, the detective said. Police said the case remains under investigation as they search more vehicles.
Hayes said police in Clayton County are considering charges against Hill, who denied any role in the case. "I came here for two days," she told the judge. "I have a boyfriend."
Walker is charged with one count of sexual exploitation of a child, two counts of trafficking a person for labor or sexual servitude, seven counts of rape, six counts of aggravated sodomy, two counts of kidnapping and two counts of false imprisonment.
Hill faces one count each of false imprisonment, sexual exploitation of a child, trafficking a person for labor or sexual servitude and giving a false name. Clayton County has placed a hold on her release for possible additional charges.
McBride is charged with one count each of kidnapping, trafficking a person for labor or sexual servitude, battery with physical visible harm and false imprisonment.
This story was originally published December 18, 2015 at 10:11 PM with the headline "Two women, a man plead not guilty to sex trafficking charges ."