Man Sentenced After Trafficking Girlfriend In MN Hotels: Police

ST. PAUL — A 26-year-old man with no permanent address was sentenced to 41 months in prison after he was convicted in Ramsey County of sex trafficking.

Larry E. Konah trafficked his girlfriend out of several Twin Cities area hotels last summer, according to police. He used sexual assaults and beatings to force her to engage in multiple daily encounters with sex buyers, investigators said.

After several months, the woman was able to escape by passing a note to the front desk staff at the Vadnais Heights Comfort Inn and Suites, according to the criminal complaint.

Staff responded quickly and called officers to the scene, who took Konah into custody.

"We applaud the victim for her brave attempt to alert hotel staff that she needed help," the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension said in a news release.

"We also applaud hotel staff for recognizing the situation and acting quickly to alert law enforcement. We all must work together to bring an end to this terrible crime."