Ft. Lewis sergeant charged with pimping 2 teens
TACOMA, Wash. - A Fort Lewis sergeant has been charged in Pierce County Superior Court with pimping two teenage girls, who allegedly traded sex for money under his direction and control.
Sgt. Sterling Terrance Hospedales, 25, was charged Thursday on two counts of first-degree promoting prostitution. He's being held in Pierce County Jail on $50,000 bail.
The two girls, ages 16 and 17, came to the attention of officers on the Innocence Lost Task Force, a federal organization that focuses on juveniles involved in prostitution cases.
Officers found the girls advertising prostitution services on the Craigslist web site. Records also showed that the girls were listed as missing persons.
Undercover officers made a "date" with one of the girls to locate them. She confirmed that she charged $100 for a half-hour session and $150 for an hour.
When the girl was contacted by officers at a local McDonald's restaurant, the second girl was with her. Both were detained and questioned.
The two told officers that Hospedales was their pimp, and that he took naked pictures of them and posted them on the Internet. They also said that Hospedales had flown one of the girls to Seattle from Wyoming, charging papers say.
According to court documents, the two girls lived with Hospedales in his Lakewood apartment, and had the girls do "dates" on an air mattress in the living room of his apartment.
Officers served a search warrant on the apartment and found the air mattress, as well as condoms, lubricant, handcuffs, and wipes, just like the girls had described.
The girls reported that Hospedales took any money that they earned and put it in a safe or in a drawer in his bedroom, according to court documents. The girls reported that Hospedales knows they are under 18 years old.
When officers looked through the girls' cell phones, there were several threatening messages from Hospedales demanding to know where they
were and what they were doing, charging papers said.
When officers went to the apartment, they saw Hospedales leaving his apartment and heading for his car. He was taken into custody.
When arrested, Hospedales was carrying an envelope with $882 and a birth certificate belonging to one of the girls, according to court papers.
"Hospedales told police that he thought the girls ran off with another pimp, so he took the money out of his safe so they couldn't steal it from him," charging documents state.
Hospedales is an infantryman assigned to the 4th Stryker Brigade Combat Team. The Florida native joined the Army and has been stationed at Fort Lewis since March 2005, according to the Tacoma News Tribune.
Officials at Fort Lewis say they are aware of the charges against Hospedales.
"We’re committed to cooperating fully with local law enforcement officials as requested to aid in their investigation," said Fort Lewis spokeswoman Catherine Caruso. "This is a very disturbing allegation, and the activity alleged here is incompatible with our Army values."
In a statement, Caruso said the Department of Defense has a policy against human trafficking. "It's a crime that erodes the integrity of the Armed Forces," she said.
"The Army expects our soldiers to be uphold the highest moral and ethical standards," she added. "Unfortunately, not every individual adapts to our organization's values. ... When allegations of misconduct are made, they are investigated, and when soldiers are found guilty, they are held accountable.
Sgt. Sterling Terrance Hospedales, 25, was charged Thursday on two counts of first-degree promoting prostitution. He's being held in Pierce County Jail on $50,000 bail.
The two girls, ages 16 and 17, came to the attention of officers on the Innocence Lost Task Force, a federal organization that focuses on juveniles involved in prostitution cases.
Officers found the girls advertising prostitution services on the Craigslist web site. Records also showed that the girls were listed as missing persons.
Undercover officers made a "date" with one of the girls to locate them. She confirmed that she charged $100 for a half-hour session and $150 for an hour.
When the girl was contacted by officers at a local McDonald's restaurant, the second girl was with her. Both were detained and questioned.
The two told officers that Hospedales was their pimp, and that he took naked pictures of them and posted them on the Internet. They also said that Hospedales had flown one of the girls to Seattle from Wyoming, charging papers say.
According to court documents, the two girls lived with Hospedales in his Lakewood apartment, and had the girls do "dates" on an air mattress in the living room of his apartment.
Officers served a search warrant on the apartment and found the air mattress, as well as condoms, lubricant, handcuffs, and wipes, just like the girls had described.
The girls reported that Hospedales took any money that they earned and put it in a safe or in a drawer in his bedroom, according to court documents. The girls reported that Hospedales knows they are under 18 years old.
When officers looked through the girls' cell phones, there were several threatening messages from Hospedales demanding to know where they
were and what they were doing, charging papers said.
When officers went to the apartment, they saw Hospedales leaving his apartment and heading for his car. He was taken into custody.
When arrested, Hospedales was carrying an envelope with $882 and a birth certificate belonging to one of the girls, according to court papers.
"Hospedales told police that he thought the girls ran off with another pimp, so he took the money out of his safe so they couldn't steal it from him," charging documents state.
Hospedales is an infantryman assigned to the 4th Stryker Brigade Combat Team. The Florida native joined the Army and has been stationed at Fort Lewis since March 2005, according to the Tacoma News Tribune.
Officials at Fort Lewis say they are aware of the charges against Hospedales.
"We’re committed to cooperating fully with local law enforcement officials as requested to aid in their investigation," said Fort Lewis spokeswoman Catherine Caruso. "This is a very disturbing allegation, and the activity alleged here is incompatible with our Army values."
In a statement, Caruso said the Department of Defense has a policy against human trafficking. "It's a crime that erodes the integrity of the Armed Forces," she said.
"The Army expects our soldiers to be uphold the highest moral and ethical standards," she added. "Unfortunately, not every individual adapts to our organization's values. ... When allegations of misconduct are made, they are investigated, and when soldiers are found guilty, they are held accountable.