Two individuals from Derby have been sentenced to over six years in jail for exploiting vulnerable women and coercing them into engaging in sex work.
Leighton Murray and Tyler Crossley, both hailing from Derby, collaborated to profit from these women, initially contacting them through social media platforms.
Crossley, aged 26, specifically targeted women in vulnerable states, often when they were grappling with mental health issues or undergoing personal traumas.
The duo would ensnare these women in drug dependencies and coerce them into repaying drug debts through sex work.
They created profiles for the women on adult sex websites, with Murray, aged 38, organizing appointments with clients.
Crossley and Murray would cover the expenses for hotel rooms in the city, where they would confine some of the women, administer drugs, and compel them into non-consensual sexual activities.
The investigation commenced when officers, searching for a missing vulnerable woman, discovered her in a hotel room with Crossley in January 2023.
Authorities estimate that approximately 14 women were exploited by the pair, although there may be additional unidentified victims.
Both individuals pleaded guilty to conspiring to control prostitution for financial gain.
Murray, formerly residing at St Clares Close in Derby, received a 45-month prison sentence, while Crossley, with no fixed address, was sentenced to 31 months.
Detective Sergeant Ross O’Brien, from the criminal exploitation team, commented, "This investigation has been extensive and intricate, resulting in the disruption of a sex trafficking operation targeting vulnerable women in Derby. These women endured repeated exploitation, controlled by Murray and Crossley for their own illicit profits. Their resilience and cooperation throughout the investigation and legal proceedings are commendable."
DS O’Brien reiterated the commitment to combat all forms of exploitation, striving to eradicate modern slavery in Derbyshire.
Individuals experiencing exploitation or those aware of such situations are urged to seek help or report it to Derbyshire Police confidentially through various channels.