A Laurel man has been arrested for the human trafficking of two teenage girls, Howard County Police said.
Arthur Coleman, 46, faces multiple counts of human trafficking, prostitution and other sex-related offenses in a case involving two girls, 13 and 15.
Coleman was arrested after an undercover female detective reached out to the 13-year-old girl, whom she saw posted in numerous prostitution ads online, including on the website Backpage. The detective posed as a young girl interested in joining the teen to make money. The teen told the undercover officer that she and an older man would pick her up in a public place in Columbia.
When officers arrived at that location, the girl and another teen arrived in a car with Coleman. Police believe Coleman was arranging appointments for the girls to have sex for money. In his car, police found condoms, cash, and multiple cellphones belonging to Coleman and the two girls.
Detectives also believe that Coleman had rented hotel rooms to facilitate prostitution of young girls, and drove girls to “outcall” appointments at locations in Maryland, Washington, D.C., and Virginia. Coleman took some of the money paid to the girls, police said.
Coleman is being held without bond at the Howard County Detention Center.
Anyone with information about human trafficking in Howard County should call 410-313-STOP or email HCPDcrimetips@howardcountymd.gov.
