15-Year-Old Human Trafficking Victim Rescued In FL, 2 Arrested

LAKELAND, FL — Two people were arrested after a 15-year-old human trafficking victim was rescued in Lakeland, authorities said.

While monitoring suspicious adult escort advertisements across various platforms, the Human Trafficking Section identified a girl in one of the ads as a teen who had been missing for several months, the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office said in a news release.

HCSO detectives working with the Florida Department of Law Enforcement and the Lakeland Police Department rescued the girl during an undercover operation in Lakeland on June 24.

At the scene, detectives encountered Terrance Whitfield Jr., 22, who was with the victim, and identified him as her trafficker, the sheriff’s office said. They also learned he had an active warrant for failure to appear — driving while license suspended.

Investigators also learned that Brittany Armstrong, 36, a convicted felon, had been conspiring with Whitfield to exploit the girl. She helped to post online adult escort advertisements about the teen, and communicated with sex buyers, arranged sexual encounters with the girl for money, acted as security during the meetings, and collected the proceeds from the acts, HCSO said.

Armstrong, who had a gun on her at the time, was arrested by detectives on June 27.

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"This young girl was exploited and abused by individuals who viewed her as nothing more than a way to make money. Let me be clear, anyone who preys on children will be found, arrested, and held accountable," Sheriff Chad Chronister said. "I want to thank the Florida Department of Law Enforcement and the Lakeland Police Department for their outstanding partnership. Because of their collaboration and the relentless work of our Human Trafficking Section, we were able to rescue a child from an unthinkable situation."

Both suspects were booked into the Polk County Jail.

Armstrong and Whitfield were both charged with human trafficking for commercial sexual activity (victim less than 18).

Whitfield was also charged with deriving support from proceeds of prostitution and unlawful use of a two-way communications device.

Anyone with information about this investigation is asked to contact HCSO at 813-247-8000.

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