Rochester Police Suspect Woman is Human Trafficking Victim

Rochester, MN (KROC AM News) - Rochester police arrested a suspected prostitute Monday but officers soon determined she was likely a victim of human trafficking, apparently from China.

Capt John Sherwin says an undercover officer responded to an online ad and met the woman at a local hotel. Sherwin says she was arrested but it’s unlikely she will face charges.

Sherwin says the 47-year-old woman is a Chinese national who speaks no English. She apparently entered the country legally, arriving in New York and later making her way to Chicago. It’s unknown when she arrived in Rochester.

Sherwin says it’s also suspected the woman was forced to move around the country under the direction of people in China. He says it’s possible she was under their control because of threats of harm to family members living in China.

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