Officials have announced more arrests in connection with a Philadelphia-based human trafficking ring in which young women dealing with drug addiction were repeatedly targeted, exploited and raped, investigators said.

Terrance Jones, 52, led the operation in which he recruited drivers who escorted women to “dates” with sex buyers, Pennsylvania Attorney General Michelle Henry revealed during a news conference on Tuesday afternoon. Investigators said at least 25 people were involved in Jones’ trafficking ring, including his own daughter.

“As all human traffickers do, he dehumanized these young women and used them as commodities to further his trafficking business,” Henry said.

Resources for victims of sexual assault are available through the National Sexual Violence Resource Center and the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 800-656-4673.

The victim is speaking to the police

The investigation began in June 2021 after a Pennsylvania State Police trooper was contacted by an informant who said he knew a young woman who had recently left a substance abuse sober home in South Philadelphia and was a possible victim of sexual exploitation and human trafficking. State troopers then found the woman at a Philadelphia motel and took her to the sober house at her request. Investigators said the woman was both physically and mentally impaired at the time after using drugs over several days.

The woman told investigators that while at the sober living home, she searched the Internet and found the phone number of an escort service. After calling the number, she spoke to someone who sounded like a woman and called herself “Julie” or “Julia.” The victim said “Julia” asked her to describe herself and send pictures. “Julia” then told the victim that a driver would pick her up and take her to various locations to go on “dates” with sex buyers in exchange for money.

After the victim told “Julia” that she was in a recovery house, “Julia” told her that the sex buyers would supply her with drugs. The victim was told to give her driver $125 for each “encounter.” “Julia” also told the victim that she would be able to collect $200 to $250 from each sex buyer for each hour. “Julia” told the victim that sex buyers would call an “agency” and “Julia” would then provide the victim with the buyer’s phone number. “Julia” also told the victim to call the buyer from the driver’s phone which had a blocked number.

The victim told investigators she went on several “dates” over a period of several days while working for “Julia” and the “agency.” The victim also told investigators that the driver who took her to the meetings was called “Tommy.” Investigators later identified the driver as 54-year-old Thomas Reilly, who they described as the sex-trafficking organization’s second-in-command.

Reilly allegedly took the victim on at least four “dates” before taking her back to his home where he raped her, telling the woman he “needed something in return” because he was allowing her to stay at his house , investigators said. Reilly allegedly sold the victim Xanax and marijuana. The victim told investigators she felt “trapped” at Reilly’s home and did not feel free to leave.

Several people have been arrested in connection with a sex trafficking ring in the Philadelphia area that targeted women struggling with drug addiction, Pennsylvania Attorney General Michelle Henry announced. NBC10’s Neil Fischer has the details.

Investigate

The victim’s statements led to an extensive investigation by the Pennsylvania State Police. They discovered that “Julie” was actually Terrance Jones, who ran the sex-trafficking organization from his home in the 800 block of Disston Street in Philadelphia, according to investigators.

Jones introduced herself as “Julie” or “Julia” while talking to potential female victims, and only a handful of people knew her true identity, investigators said. Jones has allegedly operated the sex-trafficking ring since at least 2012.

Jones advertised numerous phone numbers online so potential buyers could call to schedule sex with prostitutes at locations in Philadelphia, the surrounding suburbs and New Jersey, investigators said. The numbers were associated with several names, including “girlfriends,” “GFE girlfriends” and “GFE girlfriends,” with “GFE” standing for “Girlfriend Experience,” investigators said.

“Jones recruited and exploited more than a dozen young women for his sex trafficking organization at locations in Philadelphia, its suburbs and South Jersey,” Henry said.

After being verified, the buyers provided a phone number to Jones, who then directed one of the women to contact the buyer to set up a time, location and price, according to investigators. Most of the female prostitutes were then taken to locations by drivers, including Reilly, James Rudolph, Joseph Franklin and Rhaheem Hill, investigators said. Several of the women who had worked for Jones for a significant period of time were also allowed to drive themselves to meetings, investigators said. Although most of the money from each meeting was given to the drivers and Jones, some of the money was also given to the women, depending on their relationship with Jones, investigators said. Jones allegedly received the money through cash transfers and wire transfers.

Jones’ adult daughter, Natoria Jones, knowingly aided her father’s organization by handling many of the electronic payments sent from female prostitutes and drivers, officials said.

Before the coronavirus pandemic, Jones had sex with female prostitutes as part of his “interview process,” according to investigators. While pretending to be “Julie,” Jones told her victims she was going to the home of a longtime client who had already paid for their “date” electronically, officials said. One of the drivers then drove the woman to Jones’ home. After the “date” was over, Jones — while pretending to be “Julie” — called the victim and asked how she was, according to investigators. Jones stopped having sex with the victims during the pandemic, officials said.

Investigators said nearly all of the female prostitutes suffered from varying degrees of substance abuse that Jones knowingly exploited. From Jan. 20, 2023, to Feb. 10, 2023, Jones’ organization arranged 83 “encounters” involving 42 sex buyers and 15 different prostitutes, officials said.

The arrest of Terrance Jones

Jones was arrested on Friday, October 18, 2024. He is charged with human trafficking, corrupt organizations, criminal conspiracy, involuntary servitude, aggravated assault and other related offenses.

Jones’ bail was set at $2 million. Court documents showing his legal representation were not immediately available online.

In addition to Jones, Reilly, Rudolph, Franklin, Hill and Natoria Jones, police also arrested 16 sex buyers, or “Johns,” in connection with the trafficking ring, according to Henry.

“The demand for commercial sex language motivates predators like Terrance Jones to exploit women’s bodies for their own greed,” Henry said. “People who are willing to pay other people – and let’s face it most of the time – men paying other men to use the bodies of vulnerable young women, women and girls for their own benefit, is what leads to human crime. traffic. We proposed to charge buyers in this case because to end human trafficking, we need to reduce demand. One way to do this is to discourage potential buyers from engaging in this illegal activity.”

Anyone who may have been victimized by Jones or any sex trafficking organization can contact the Pennsylvania State Police Hotline at 215-452-5239. They can also contact the National Human Trafficking Hotline at 1-888-373-7888.

Ongoing problem of sex trafficking

According to the National Human Trafficking Hotline, almost 17,000 victims were identified last year throughout the country. But that number is only a fraction of how many victims are actually out there.

“The word I would use is pervasive. It’s in every neighborhood. It’s happening in Philadelphia County. It’s happening in Montgomery County, Bucks County, Delaware County. It’s happening everywhere,” said sister Meaghan Patterson.

Sister Meaghan Patterson knows the reality of sex trafficking. She is the executive director of Dawn’s Place, a refuge in Philadelphia for victims of sex trafficking.

“There’s a statistic that says about 1% of people who are trafficked come out and get services, which is tragic when you think it’s a $150 billion industry and yet there are so many women, men, children who suffer from it. Patterson said. “It is a horrific crime against human rights.”

Ann Marie Jones knows firsthand what it’s like to be a victim of trafficking. She spent 14 years being trafficked and shared some of her experience and how she came out.

“It was beyond a nightmare. I can’t even begin to explain what it was like to live there and be constantly controlled and beaten and have nothing and live in abandoned houses with rats and God knows what else is there and still be told I love you ” Jones recounted. “I was so manipulated and blinded by everything he was telling me. If he told me the sky was purple, I believed it was purple because I trusted him.”

It took some time for Jones to get off the streets completely, but he eventually did and got help.

“I ended up getting pregnant by him and I remember standing behind an abandoned house crying and praying and asking God to get me out of it. he needed help,” Jones said.

Jones wants victims of sex trafficking to know that people are there in places like churches, hospitals or shelters and that they are ready to help.

Pennsylvania’s attorney general has announced that a years-long investigation has dismantled a sex-trafficking ring in Philadelphia. NBC10’s Johnny Archer spoke with the executive director of Dawn’s Place, a shelter for sex trafficking victims and survivors to shed light on how big the problem is.

Department of Human Services Blue Campaign has a list of signs of human trafficking that people can look for, such as:

• Does the person have bruises in various stages of healing?
• Is the person fearful, shy or submissive?
• Is the person often in the company of someone they look up to? Or someone who seems to be in control?
• Does the person seem coached on what to say?

If you OR someone you believe is a victim of human trafficking, you can call the Human Trafficking Hotline at 888-373-7888 to get immediate help.