(NORTH EAST, MD) – An Allegany County man was arrested yesterday in Cecil County on human trafficking and related charges after two women who had been traveling with him said they were being held against their will.
The suspect is identified as Germaine J. Wiggins, 34, who is also known to use the name Prince & Mack Luxury, of Frostburg, Md. He is charged with two counts each of human trafficking/benefit financially, human trafficking/explicit perform, prostitution, and kidnapping. He is being held in the Cecil County Detention Center without bond.
The victims are both women from Ohio, ages 36, and 25. The Maryland State Police does not identify victims of sexual assault.
The investigation began shortly after 1:30 p.m. yesterday, when North East Police Department officers and troopers from the North East Barrack responded to a hotel in North East for the report of a person in need of assistance. The woman told police she had been raped by a man she and another woman were traveling with and they were being held against their will. Police observed a suspicious man attempting to flee the area on foot and detained him. He was identified as the suspect and taken into custody.
After initial interviews were conducted, the North East Police Department requested the Maryland State Police Criminal Enforcement Division assume the inter-jurisdictional investigation. State Police criminal investigators responded, including those assigned to Maryland’s human trafficking task force.
The preliminary investigation indicates both women met Wiggins in Ohio earlier this week. One of the women said after an argument with Wiggins during their stay in Ohio, he raped her. Both women traveled with him to Pennsylvania and Virginia. The women admitted to being involved in prostitution and, at first, agreed to have Wiggins work with them to arrange customers. However, on June 25th, while they were in Virginia, the women told Wiggins they no longer wanted to work with him. They said Wiggins threatened to kill them both if they left. Fearing for their lives, they remained with him.
Wiggins transported the women yesterday to Maryland and checked into the Cecil County hotel. One of the women took advantage of an opportunity to get out of the room undetected and called police.
The investigation is continuing. Additional charges are pending.
