Prostitution Ring Busted In Stafford: Police

STAFFORD, VA—Police busted a prostitution ring operating out of hotels along the Route 17 corridor earlier this month, the Stafford County Sheriff's Office announced Friday. Brian Lamont Turner, 38, of Waynesboro, was charged with multiple counts of receiving money from the earnings of a prostitute, and is being held without bond.

Around 4:30 p.m. on April 11, police responded to a reported disturbance in the Days Inn at 14 Simpson Road. They found that several women were being employed as prostitutes at hotels in the area. During the ensuing investigation, detectives made contact with several women who had been working for Turner. The women said Turner recruited them to perform sex acts for money, and that he told them he would split the earnings with them. He also agreed to give them drugs and pay for hotel rooms.

The SCSO Special Investigations Unit then launched a sting operation targeting Turner, who was acting as a pimp. He unwittingly agreed to supply two women as prostitutes to an undercover detective, and was arrested in the Sleep Inn parking lot at 595 Warrenton Road.

Also arrested was Latasha Taylor, 33, of Charlottesville. She was charged with prostitution and providing false identification to law enforcement, as well served an outstanding warrant for contempt of court out of Charlottesville. And Gabrielle Alexander, 28, of Louisa, was served an outstanding warrant for contempt of court out of Charlottesville.

Police say the investigation is ongoing, and that they plan to increase patrols along the Route 17 corridor "to address prostitution and human trafficking crimes."