RICO INDICTMENT FILED ON FOUR FOR LURING VICTIMS INTO HUMAN TRAFFICKING AND PROSTITUTION

Posted on 3/14/2018

Defendant: Curtis Deshane Gossett, Stacy Anne Rockey, Christina Blair Austin, Jeffery Martin Bagley, and Brooke Michelle Adkins

Franklin County Prosecutor Ron O’Brien said, “Not only will our office continue to coordinate efforts with other agencies within the law enforcement system to rescue victims who are forced or coerced into human trafficking, but we will also hold traffickers accountable for exploiting these victims.”  Prosecutor Ron O’Brien announced today that the Franklin County Grand Jury has returned a RICO indictment against four individuals:  Curtis Deshane Gossett, age 59, Stacy Anne Rockey, age 44, Christina Blair Austin, age 28, and Jeffery Martin Bagley, age 37.  The ring-leader Curtis Gossett, and his three associates have been indicted for various counts, some of which include Engaging in a Pattern of Corrupt Activity with a Forfeiture of Property Specification, Trafficking in Persons – Commercial Sex Acts, Compelling Prostitution, Promoting Prostitution, and Money Laundering.  A fifth individual connected to Gossett, Brooke Michelle Adkins, age 26, has been indicted for Possession of Heroin and Aggravated Possession of Drugs.  The indictment alleges that the Human Trafficking and Prostitution counts in the indictment occurred between the time span of May 1, 2015 through May 31, 2017.  O’Brien stated, “Gossett managed and controlled a prostitution operation involving several locations and multiple female victims.”  His goal was to recruit females addicted to heroin, particularly when they were homeless.  “Gossett offered a warm place to live and a daily supply of heroin in exchange for money made from prostitution activities, in order to personally benefit financially,” O’Brien further stated.  He utilized Rockey, Austin, Bagley, and Adkins to assist him with various aspects of the operation such as prepping the females and taking photos for Backpage.com ads, delivering narcotics to, and collecting money from the women, and transporting and providing protection to the females on outcall prostitution dates.  O’Brien commended the Central Ohio Human Trafficking Task Force for their thorough investigation of this case.