Wyoming Highway Patrol Arrests Man For Possible Sex Trafficking
The Wyoming Highway Patrol arrested a male suspect two weekends ago who was driving two teenage girls who may have been in danger of being sexually assaulted, according to a Highway Patrol news release Thursday.
On Jan. 20, troopers were dispatched for an Attempt To Locate alert about a blue extended-cab pickup with Washington state license plates that was believed to be on the way from Washington to Kansas.
During the trip, the girls were able to get the driver’s cell phone, and they received information they were to be sexually assaulted at the Little America Hotel in Cheyenne.
While troopers were looking for the pickup statewide, troopers in Cheyenne determined the suspect’s cell phone number and have it pinged to a location west Green River.
Troopers contacted both Little America Hotels in Wyoming and told their managers to look for the pickup.
Soon after that, the manager of the hotel in Little America -- on Interstate 80 about 25 miles west of Green River -- saw the girls with the suspect and called Highway Patrol dispatch.
Troopers and Sweetwater County Sheriff's deputies responded and contacted the suspect and the girls.
The suspect was interviewed and gave implausible travel plans and arrangements about the girls.
Law enforcement also searched the pickup and found items to aid him in sexually assaulting the girls.
Sweetwater County Sheriff's deputies took the two girls into protective custody, and took the suspect into custody for further investigation.
The news release did not identify the suspect, where he or the girls were from, how the Highway Patrol learned about the incident, whether there are other suspects, how this suspect knew the girls, whether charges have been filed and where, and whether the incident is still under investigation.