Notes

The Plaintiffs are four women whose names are Krystal, Michelle, Shannon, and Charlene. The Defendants are Red Roof Inn corporation.

The Plaintiffs claim that, between 2009 and 2016, they were victims of sex trafficking at two Red Roof Inns in Atlanta, GA: the “Red Roof Buckhead” and the “Red Roof Smyrna.”

The Plaintiffs claim that the Red Roof Inn Defendants knew or should have known that they were being sex trafficked at the two Red Roof Inns. They also allege that the Defendants knew that their hotels were being used for sex trafficking but allowed it anyway. Plaintiffs claim Red Roof’s priority to maximize revenue led them to partner with pimps and traffickers who paid to rent rooms. Plaintiffs say Red Roof prioritized profits over guest safety.

The Defendants say they knew nothing about sex trafficking at their hotels and that the four women were not trafficked, but, rather, were willing, voluntary prostitutes.
Plaintiffs’ Statement
We are here because Red Roof Inns partnered with sex trafficking pimps. Red Roof allowed these pimps to rent hotel rooms at the Red Roof Buckhead and Red Roof Smyrna. These pimps forced numerous victims to have sex for money at Red Roof Buckhead and Red Roof Smyrna and to give all the money to the pimps, who then used that money to pay Red Roof to rent the rooms. Red Roof and these pimps made money from this partnership, while the victims suffered traumatic physical and mental injuries.

This case involves four of the victims that were sex trafficked at these Red Roof hotels: Krystal, Michelle, Shannon, and Charlene.

Between 2009 and 2016, these women were trafficked at the Red Roof Buckhead and the Red Roof Smyrna. They are suing Red Roof because Red Roof knowingly allowed its properties to be used for sex trafficking. And Red Roof knew, or at minimum should have known, that Krystal, Michelle, Shannon, and Charlene were sex trafficking victims. And while they were sold for sex thousands of times, they made no money; it all went to their pimps and Red Roof.

How does the law define Sex Trafficking?
When people hear the term “sex trafficking” they may have different ideas about what that means. But here, the definition is provided by the law which provides a very specific definition that must be applied in this case.

Sex trafficking is when a person 18 or older is sold for sex by force, deception, or coercion. That means, if a person is a prostitute as a result of someone else’s force, deception or coercion, then that is sex trafficking.
OR
Sex trafficking, a form of human trafficking, is when a person under 18 is sold for sex. That means, prostitution by a person under 18 is sex trafficking.

Prostitution and Sex Trafficking was out in the open at Red Roof
Red Roof chose to engage in criminal activity and to partner with criminals to increase its revenue. Unsurprisingly, because these Plaintiffs were forced to have sex with 10-20 men per day over multiple weeks, months, and even years, they suffered significant physical and mental trauma, injuries that continue to this day, and will continue into the future. Red Roof should have refused to rent rooms for prostitution and sex trafficking. Red Roof should have called law enforcement. But instead, Red Roof chose to profit at the expense of these victims.

Red Roof argues that it is difficult to identify sex trafficking, that it did not allow prostitution or sex trafficking at its hotels, and that it was never aware of prostitution or sex trafficking taking place at its hotels. These arguments are contradicted by the testimony of its own employees who testified that prostitution and sex trafficking were obvious at these hotels.

Forrest Castille worked at the Red Roof Smyrna. Here he is testifying under oath:with others. Click here ...