A Miami Springs motel was her pandemic shelter. A guest tried selling her for sex, cops say

After an argument with her boyfriend in the Florida Keys — and during the height of the pandemic shutdowns — a 21-year-old woman thought she’d found safe shelter at a Miami Springs motel earlier this month.

Instead, cops say, another guest took her photos, gave her fake eyelashes and nail polish and tried to sell her for sex.

The woman, however, never went through with any prostitution. She locked herself into a room and called police. Authorities have now charged Gregory Sutton, 33, with human trafficking, along with a slew of other charges.

Arrested earlier this month, Sutton remained jailed in Miami on Tuesday. He is also facing charges of violation probation on earlier drug arrests, jail records show.

Hotels across Miami-Dade have largely been closed since late March, to help curb the spread of the coronavirus. But Miami-Dade County allowed lodging to stay open to facilitate emergency and medical personnel, “persons unable to return home” and those displaced by the pandemic.

Miami-Dade County officials this week allowed retailers such as restaurants and salons to re-open under certain rules, but hotels and motels have not been allowed to take in new guests yet outside of the exemptions.

The woman checked into the Runway Inn in Miami Springs, which features a string of motels near Miami International Airport along Northwest 36th Street, on May 4.

Sutton, who was also staying there, approached her the next morning, police say.

“According to the victim, Sutton allegedly began to solicit her to commit acts of prostitution and indicated that he would organize the entire matter.,” according to a Tuesday press release from the Miami-Dade State Attorney’s Office. “Sutton allegedly indicated that he would post pictures of the victim on social media sites to generate interest and attention. The victim indicated that out of fear, she supplied Sutton with photos.”

Sutton, police said, said she would charge $200 for 30 minutes of sexual activity with johns. “According to the victim, Sutton allegedly took additional steps to facilitate the prostitution operation and indicated that he would provide security for the victim during the sexual activity,” the release said.

When Sutton told her he was going to start placing ads online and sending her “dates,” the woman locked herself in her room and called a friend, who called Miami Springs police.

“Human trafficking is always a very ugly crime. The traffickers, wanting those dollars, are continuously looking for young victims because that’s where they feel the money is,” State Attorney Katherine Fernandez Rundle said in the press release. “Fortunately, the Miami-Dade law enforcement community is united together to fight such predators.”