The man now has a warrant out for his arrest.
Located on Mosside Blvd. in Monroeville, there is a Rodeway Inn hotel that caught the attention of investigators who were monitoring a man named Donte Cole from Euclid, Ohio, as per court records.
After a thorough investigation conducted by the Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General and Homeland Security Investigations, the 38-year-old individual is now facing numerous charges. These charges include eight counts of trafficking in individuals and six counts of involuntary servitude.
Detectives made a visit on May 9, using the “knock and talk” technique, where they encountered two women and a 16-year-old.
During the investigation, a victim shared with detectives that she had been involved in selling herself and that Cole had received the majority of her profits. The victim further disclosed that Cole had recruited and trained her for this line of work by convincing her that he would protect her and that they could travel together to earn money.
During the investigation, a victim shared that Cole had made a threat to them regarding leaving, stating: “‘ya’ll try to leave, there will be consequences.'” This statement highlights the abusive behavior exhibited by Cole towards their victims.
After encountering law enforcement officials in Monroeville, the teenager chose to remain tight-lipped and declined to engage in any conversation with them.
After conducting an extensive investigation, authorities spent several months examining various forms of digital data such as text messages, cell phone records, social media activity, and CashApp transactions. It was during this thorough review that they discovered Cole had posted ads in several different cities, including Cleveland, Pittsburgh, Washington D.C., and Chicago.
Ohio Attorney General Intelligence stumbled upon an advertisement for the teenager involved in the Monroeville incident back in May on October 5th.
After being taken to the hospital, she was later accompanied by a caseworker to her father’s residence.
As of now, Cole remains unapprehended.
At the moment, KDKA has attempted to contact the management of the nearby motel but has yet to receive a response.
According to a representative from Choice Hotels, the Rodeway Inn is a franchise that operates independently under its own ownership.
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