Sunshine Sentinel

TALLAHASSEE, Fla.—Attorney General Ashley Moody’s Office of Statewide Prosecution is charging a human trafficker with multiple felonies for coercing women and a teenager into sex work for the trafficker’s personal gain. The Boca Raton Police Department arrested Brandon Gutman on charges of human trafficking of a minor and human trafficking of an adult. According to the investigation, Gutman withheld all money and identification documents from the women, and knowingly trafficked a 16-year-old girl.

Attorney General Ashley Moody said, “This human trafficker kept women under his control with physical abuse and by withholding all their identification documents. He then forced them into sex work for his own financial profit, including knowingly trafficking a young 16-year-old girl. Thanks to the bravery of the survivors working with authorities and the investigative efforts of law enforcement, this predator will now face my Statewide Prosecutors.”

According to a joint investigation by BRPD, the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office’s Human Trafficking Task Force and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Gutman ran a trafficking operation for several years. In the operation, Gutman used physical and sexual violence, threats and emotional and financial manipulation to coerce women to engage in commercial sex acts for Gutman’s own profit. The investigation also uncovered that Gutman trafficked a 16-year-old girl, forcing the teen to engage in exotic dancing and commercial sex acts. 

Attorney General Moody’s Statewide Prosecutors charged Gutman with one count of human trafficking of a minor for commercial sexual activity; a first-degree felony, two counts of human trafficking of an adult for commercial sexual activity; first-degree felonies, and several other related charges. 

If convicted, Gutman faces a life sentence. 

Attorney General Moody’s Assistant Statewide Prosecutor Joshua Dockus will prosecute the case. 

If you have been victimized by Gutman please contact the Boca Raton Police Department at (561) 368-6201, or the Palm Beach County Human Trafficking Task Force at (561) 687-6833.

To report suspected trafficking to Florida law enforcement, call the statewide Human Trafficking Tip Line at 1(855) FLA-SAFE.

Original source can be found here.