Douglas Walker

The Star Press

MUNCIE – Delaware County sheriff’s deputies on Tuesday arrested a man they said had been forcing his girlfriend – who is eight months pregnant – to engage in prostitution.

Huston Winford Briscoe, 29, Marion, was being held in the Delaware County jail on Wednesday under a $20,000 bond, preliminarily charged with human trafficking and promoting prostitution.

According to an affidavit, deputies were contacted Tuesday by a friend of the alleged victim, who told them the pregnant woman “was scared and wanted help.”

Authorities allege Briscoe marketed the woman’s services through an Internet site, with advertising describing her as a “hot momma 2 be.”

“Hello, Muncie gentlemen!” one ad said, noting that the woman was “eight months along.”

Through the advertising, an undercover deputy made an appointment to spend an hour with the woman in a Muncie hotel room for $200.

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Several undercover officers were at that hotel – not identified in the affidavit – when Briscoe and the woman arrived.

Aware that her friend had contacted authorities, when the alleged victim came to the undercover deputy’s hotel room, she “gave me a hug and stated, ‘Thank you guys so much for getting me out of this,’” he wrote in a report.

The woman told investigators she had used the website to market herself as a prostitute before meeting Briscoe last June.

She said the relationship quickly became abusive, with Briscoe taking over her online advertising and taking her to cities in Indiana, Ohio and Kentucky to engage in prostitution through the months of her pregnancy.

Briscoe “doesn’t even let her know when or how many jobs she has to do that day,” his accuser said, and limits her access to cellphones.

The woman said she was “scared to even tell him no because of what would happen to her.”

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The alleged victim said she decided to seek help after Briscoe recently tried to break her arm, telling investigators she “wouldn’t be able to hold her baby with a broken arm.”

Another witness told police she had seen Briscoe physically abuse his accuser.

Briscoe, meanwhile, told police he believed the woman’s appointments had been for massages, and said he was unaware of any illegal activities.

The human trafficking charge is a Level 4 felony carrying up to 12 years in prison. Promoting prostitution is a Level 5 felony with a maximum six-year sentence.

Huston also faces preliminary charges of possession of paraphernalia and driving while suspended.

According to court records, a warrant was issued for Briscoe arrest last December in Edgewood Town Court in Madison County. He allegedly failed to show up for a hearing in a driving-while-suspended case.

Also in December, Briscoe was charged with possession of a controlled substance in Greenwood City Court in Johnson County.

Contact news reporter Douglas Walker at (765) 213-5851. You can also follow him on Twitter @DouglasWalkerSP.

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