Two New York residents are being held on charges related to sex trafficking of minors after their arrest at a Milford hotel, authorities said.
Edward “Fire” Thomas, 39, and Kayla Walters, 22, had been indicted Feb. 24 by a grand jury in New Haven and were arrested Friday, federal authorities said in a press release. They are both charged with conspiracy to commit sex trafficking of a minor. Also, Thomas was charged with two counts and Walters one count of sex trafficking of a minor.
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If convicted, they face a minimum of 10 years and a maximum of life in prison.
According to the federal indictment, between September 2012 and August 2013, Thomas and Walters conspired to recruit, harbor and transport a minor to engage in commercial sex acts. The indictment also accuses Thomas of recruiting, harboring and transporting a second minor to engage in commercial sex acts.
Officials did not name the hotel where Thomas and Walters were arrested. Other details of the case were not released.
Thomas and Walters appeared Monday before U.S. Magistrate Judge Donna F. Martinez in Hartford and were ordered held.
According to a press release, Walters and Thomas were previously arrested together in October 2013 in a prostitution sting at the Stratford Conference Center and Hotel on Lordship Boulevard. Police said an undercover detective responded to an online posting offering sex with two women for $350. The Stratford detective posed as a customer, went to the room and was let in by one of the women from the online post, the release stated.
Police said Thomas was in the hotel room with Walters and another woman and claimed to be their “manager.” An infant was also found in the room, along with evidence of recent marijuana use, police said. Thomas was charged with risk of injury to a minor, promoting prostitution and possession of marijuana.
Walters was charged with prostitution, risk of injury to a minor and possession of marijuana.
Charges against both are pending, according to state court records.
The more recent case is being investigated by the FBI and Connecticut Child Exploitation Task Force, which is made up of federal, state and local law enforcement agencies. Stratford and Milford police have assisted in the investigation.
The task force is based in New Haven and investigates crimes against children occurring over the Internet and provides computer forensic review services for participating agencies. To report child exploitation crimes, federal authorities say to contact the FBI at 203-777-6311.
