13-year-old girl rescued from Tampa motel: 'This child was lured'
The Brief
A 13-year-old girl was lured to a hotel by two men on Saturday in Tampa, according to HCSO.
Detectives said the men offered the teen money for sex.
The victim was able to send a voice message to her sister, who called 911, according to HCSO.
TAMPA - The Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office has arrested two men after deputies rescued a teenage girl from a Tampa motel room.
On Saturday, the sheriff's office received a 911 call from the victim's sister, who had received a voice message from the 13-year-old indicating she was in danger at the A1 Motel.
The backstory
When deputies got to the scene, they found the girl inside a motel room.
One of the suspects, Marlon Alfaro-Alvarez, 28, tried to take off through a bathroom window. He was quickly detained along with Floyd Amaya Garvin, 25.
Detectives say the men had communicated with the girl via social media, picked her up under false pretenses, and took her to the motel.
Dig deeper
Detectives say the child repeatedly asked the men to let her go home, but the suspects physically prevented her from leaving the room and offered her money in exchange for sex.
OTHER NEWS: HIV positive man sexually batters 8-year-old boy; child tests positive for disease: PCSO
The victim secretly recorded a message asking for help and sent it to her sister, who immediately called 911, according to HCSO.Alfaro-Alvarez has been charged with:
• Human trafficking for commercial sexual activity (victim under 18)• Lewd and lascivious molestation• Lewd and lascivious exhibition• False imprisonment• Contributing to the delinquency or dependency of a minor• Resisting an officer without violence
Amaya Garvin has been charged with:
• Human trafficking for commercial sexual activity (victim less than 18)• Contribute to delinquency or dependency of child• False imprisonment (on child)
What they're saying
"This child was lured, isolated, and targeted by adults who made the deliberate choice to exploit her. Their actions were not impulsive — they were predatory and calculated," said Sheriff Chad Chronister.
"Thanks to the bravery of this young victim and the swift response of our deputies, we stopped these men before they could cause even more harm. Let this be a clear message: in Hillsborough County, we don't turn a blind eye to those who prey on children — we turn the full force of the law against them."The investigation is ongoing and additional charges may be filed, according to HCSO.
The Source
Information for this story was provided by the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office.
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