(KNSI) -A St. Cloud man is accused of selling three women for sex. Antonio Lavor Clark has been charged with four counts of sex trafficking and one count of promoting prostitution and receiving profits from prostitution.
The Central Minnesota Human Trafficking Task Force Investigators learned victim A (an 18-year-old girl) began “dating” Clark sometime in February 2019. She stated that Clark assaulted her in March 2019 at a hotel in Waite Park by grabbing her by the throat, and he told her she could not leave him as she was the only person he had.
Victim A stated that she was working at the beginning of their relationship but that Clark would take all of her money. Victim A said that in May 2019, Clark told her to post herself on “escort sites” and that when Victim A told him no, he assaulted her. Victim A stated the defendant strangled her to the point where she lost consciousness.
Victim A stated that Clark also forced her to commit crimes with bank accounts and checks. Victim A says she’s afraid of Clark and loved him simultaneously and would do whatever he said. Victim A stated in June 2019, Clark came into the hotel room she was in and told Victim A
that she needed to go with him and that she knew what would happen if she did not. Victim A stated Clark grabbed all of her things and put them in a woman’s car (later identified as Victim B, a 28-year-old woman). Clark told Victim A that she needed to go with Victim B and do whatever Victim B told her to do.
Victim A stated that Victim B forced her to swallow pills and that when she did, Victim A could not feel her legs, her heart was beating fast, and the next thing Victim A knew, she was in Fargo, North Dakota.
Victim A stated that they checked into a hotel in Fargo, North Dakota and Victim B gave Victim A clothes to put on. Victim A said that Victim B then took Victim A’s phone and posted nude photos of Victim A. Victim A said that a male came to the hotel room, and Victim B told Victim A she was going to have sex with that male. Victim A said she had sexual intercourse with that male and others and that she never got any money and that Victim B got the money. Victim A said she does not remember
how long they were in Fargo, but eventually they left, and Victim A’s memory is hazy on what happened next.
Victim A recalls begging not to be taken back to Clark in St. Cloud because she was terrified. Victim A stated that eventually, Victim B took her to Walgreens in St. Cloud. Victim A heard Victim B tell the defendant to “come get your b****,” and so Victim A ran into Walgreens to get away.
Victim A then saw Clark’s vehicle outside of Walgreens. Victim A eventually ran from Walgreens to another store nearby and was able to find someone to help her. Investigators determined that on June 18, 2019, Victim B checked into Rodeway Inn in Fargo, North Dakota, and checked out on June 20, 2019.
Investigators could also locate prostitution ads posted for Victim A and Victim B for the Fargo area. Investigators spoke with Victim B, who had first denied involvement in anything regarding prostitution with
Eventually, Victim B informed investigators she too was being trafficked by
Clark. Victim B stated that Clark had threatened her with a gun and told her that she was his “b****” and that Victim B would make money for him.
This occurred at Clark’s home in St. Cloud. Victim B also stated Clark physically assaulted her. Victim B said that Clark told her that
Victim A was “his girl,” and that Victim B needed to take Victim A to Fargo to make money.
Victim B says she met Clark at Walgreens, but Victim A ran away as she was scared. Victim B stated that the defendant got in Victim B’s car and took Victim A’s phone, wallet, and most of the cash they had “earned” in Fargo from committing acts of prostitution.
Victim B estimated that the defendant took approximately $600.
In December 2020, the CMHTTF began an investigation to see if another woman was being sex trafficked by Clark. Investigators located numerous prostitution ads of the third victim in December 2020, January 2021, and February 2021. During that timeframe, there were times Investigators responded to the ads and an arrangement was made for payment of sexual acts.
Victim A would never cooperate with the police in this case.
Clark’s prior criminal history includes a Kidnapping conviction from 2005, Burglary in the Second Degree from 2013, Burglary in the First Degree from 2015, and a Failure to Register as a Predatory Offender conviction from 2015. The defendant was just off of supervised release for those 2015 convictions a few weeks before the alleged offense.