18th victim in alleged Brooklyn Center hotel sex trafficking ring comes forward, no charges yet
Brooklyn Center hotel raids: No charges announced after 28 arrests
Criminal charges have yet to be filed against any of the 28 people who were arrested in a massive anti-sex trafficking operation that took place at Brooklyn Center hotels on Sept. 9. FOX 9's Emily Pofahl has the details.
BROOKLYN CENTER, Minn. (FOX 9) - Two weeks after SWAT teams raided multiple Brooklyn Center hotels as part of a year-long sex trafficking investigation, none of the 28 people arrested has been charged and an 18th victim has come forward to police.
READ MORE: Brooklyn Center hotel raids: 17 women, minors rescued from trafficking, police say
The operation
What we know:
FOX 9's Emily Pofahl sat down with Brooklyn Center Police Commander Richard Gabler.
On Sept. 9, more than 250 law enforcement officers — including seven SWAT teams — raided four hotels in Brooklyn Center, though the investigation focused primarily on the Super 8 and Travelodge hotels. Officers executed search warrants at both locations and have gone back to each site since, recovering eight firearms, more than $43,494 in cash and a significant quantity of drugs, according to police.
Gabler said no suspects, victims, bystanders or officers were injured during the raid.
There were 28 people were arrested, including a Travelodge employee, Gabler said. Investigators initially identified 17 women and girls — ranging in age from 18 to 56 — as victims of human trafficking. Since then, an 18th victim has come forward, and Gabler says there could be more.
"These women were placed in terrible situations," he said.
Why no charges yet?
What they're saying:
Three case agents — one from Brooklyn Center, one from Hennepin County and one from the state Bureau of Criminal Apprehension — are working through the evidence. Gabler says that process takes time, from interviewing hesitant victims to combing through digital evidence off of a large quantity of cell phones officers confiscated.
"Certainly, we could rush through everything to get some criminal charges, but I don't feel that that would be doing this case justice," said Gabler.
Some suspects remain in custody on outstanding warrants, while others have been released pending charges, according to Gabler. The Hennepin County Attorney's Office says the absence of submitted cases is not a surprise, and a spokesperson told FOX 9 they are regularly communicating with Brooklyn Center police on the matter.
Gabler acknowledged the risk that comes with suspects still being free.
"I do recognize that both the suspects and our trafficking victims could reconnect at some point," he said. "The simple fact is we can't limit their contact unless somebody's in jail. Hopefully the resources that we provide can afford them some security and protection."
Brooklyn Center PD is working with Hennepin County social services workers and addiction treatment specialists to help victims adjust.
What's next for the hotels?
What's next:
Both the Super 8 and Travelodge remain boarded up. Brooklyn Center police said that the two hotels generated nearly 2,300 calls for service between January 2025 and August 2026. Gabler said the number of 911 calls by itself is not enough for the city to shut the hotels down entirely.
"A specific call number wouldn't be enough. There are other practices that the business would have to be violating to look at a license suspension or revocation," said Gabler.
The city has an ordinance in place regulating hotels, and Gabler said officials are considering suspending or revoking the hotels' licenses.
Brooklyn Center Mayor April Graves, in an email to FOX 9 Wednesday, said "Given the history of these properties, every option is going to be on the table."
"I just hope that if they do reopen at some point, business practices are better," Gabler said. "And we don't see the victimization and the crime that we saw for the last 18 months and even beyond at these two properties."
What we don't know:
It remains unclear exactly how many of the 28 people arrested will ultimately face formal charges. Police have said the arrest total should not be interpreted as the number of people who will be formally charged or convicted. It is also unclear when the hotels may reopen, if at all.
What you can do:
Gabler is asking any other potential victims to reach out to police. If you or someone you know is in immediate danger of being trafficked, call 911. To report a suspected human trafficking situation, call the BCA at 1-877-996-6222 or email bca.tips@state.mn.us. Another option for reporting suspected human trafficking is the National Human Trafficking Hotline, 1-888-373-7888.
You can get resources and information on the BCA’s resources for human trafficking victim survivors’ page.
The backstory:
FOX 9 previously reported that allegations of sex trafficking at the Brooklyn Center Super 8 go back more than a decade. In an ongoing federal civil case, a woman says she was 15-years-old when traffickers held her at the hotel in 2013, forcing her to see between seven and 20 men each day. The lawsuit alleges hotel staff saw warning signs — including visible bruising, provocative clothing and blood on towels and linens — but did not act.
The woman says she eventually escaped by using her trafficker's laptop to send a message for help. Two of her traffickers were arrested shortly after. The case is still being argued in federal court.
The Source: FOX 9's Emily Pofahl reports.