"It's becoming more alarming to us that we're seeing that there's a market for this and that. It’s becoming more prevalent with the demand and the supply side of things.” said U.S. Attorney Northern District of Oklahoma, Danny C. Williams Sr.
Earlier this month a Florida woman and a North Carolina man pled guilty to trafficking a 14 year-old girl for prostitution in Tulsa. U.S. Attorneys said they first approached the girl at store in Tulsa.
"He then took her to buy her new clothes, uh, then took her out east, uh, to a motel and began to prostitute her out,” said Williams.
According to court documents the couple used an online service called Backpage.com to advertise the young girl. Tulsa Police sex crimes investigators see the site a lot in the Tulsa area.
Normally that's where we'll see individuals advertise on back page and maybe they'll have a picture or something along those lines and individuals show up then they trade money for sex,” said Tulsa Police Public Information Officer Leland Ashley.
Police said one way parents can recognize the signs of child sex trafficking is if the minor is receiving large amounts of cash in short period of time.
"All of a sudden your child is able to, you know, purchase things you know you haven't given them money for. Maybe they’re missing school,” said officer Ashley.
Authorities said child sex trafficking in the Tulsa area has become more common over the past several months.
"These young ladies are vulnerable and these men and women will take advantage of that,” said Williams.
Wise is now facing 20 years in prison, and Lynch a minimum of 10 years for selling the young Tulsa girl for sex. Police said if you recognize any signs of child sex trafficking to notify the police.
