Earlier this month, a Baltimore woman was charged with running a sex-trafficking organization that allegedly recruited women in Hagerstown and forced them to engage in sex work across Maryland. Kenika Leach faces 135 criminal charges in Washington County. This case matches many patterns experts often see in human trafficking cases.
In this case, the 11 victims identified by investigators reported struggling with addiction, which Leach exploited by depriving them of drugs and offering daily rations in exchange for sex work. As Lisae C. Jordan, Esq., MCASA's Executive Director, pointed out in an article in the Baltimore Sun, "We see a lot of exploitation of people who have any kind of vulnerability...Anytime you have a vulnerable person, you have a higher risk of trafficking."
Vulnerable individuals can be susceptible to grooming, another common feature of sex trafficking. Traffickers can groom victims who are experiencing homelessness or neglect by fulfilling their basic needs - providing shelter, financial support, or 'love.' Some of Leach's victims reported they were handed to Leach to be trafficked after her alleged co-conspirators started romantic relationships with them.
Location can also be a factor in trafficking cases, as transportation hubs can facilitate trafficking. Leach allegedly recruited the women in Hagerstown, and then transported them across the state to Baltimore, keeping them in hotels near BWI Marshall Airport and stadiums.
Read the full Baltimore Sun Article here.
