DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — Investigators in Daytona Beach are looking into whether an accused prostitute was forcing teen girls to sell themselves during Bike Week.
Investigators did an undercover round up of alleged prostitutes using the website Backpage.com.
Investigators said whenever they have crowds in town for a short time, they are even more concerned and looking for similar types of sex trafficking.
While most of the nearly 500,000 bikers who roll in to Daytona Beach during the motorcycle rally, most come just to have a good time, but investigators said escorts advertising online see the bikes as a business opportunity.
Authorities said they already arrested five women trying to sell sex on Backpage.com. Undercover Daytona Beach police officers met women at an undisclosed hotel room during the bust.
Investigators said one of the online advertisements turned out to be a 17-year-old girl they said was being forced to turn tricks against her will.
Investigators said 23-year-old Lashonda Riley was acting as the girl's pimp, mentoring her on how to advertise online and taking part of her earnings from prostitution. Authorities said Riley even beat the girl up on occasion.
Riley allegedly also agreed to perform a sex act and was charged with human trafficking and prostitution. She told detectives she recently cut ties with a pimp in Orlando and was having trouble making money.
WFTV
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