Page 40 - Florida Sentinel 10-21-22

Memoriam
Crime
Tampa Man Arrested On Human Trafficking Charges
HAPPY 48th BIRTHDAY
MR. OCTAVIOUS “FLOP” SIMPSON
Words can’t express the pain of losing you and it still feels like yesterday. The pain is still so real we miss you and we all love you. Happy Birthday, Flop, missing you.
Thelma, family, and friends.
A 29-year-old Tampa man was arrested and charged with human trafficking. The arrest came about after police dis- covered one of two women stated she was being forced to work as a prostitute to repay money owed to him.
According to the Hillsbor- ough County Sheriff’s Office, the office’s Human Trafficking detectives, who work year- round and monitor various sites known for prostitution, were working undercover at an undisclosed hotel. The de- tectives had posed themselves as johns.
They responded to escort advertisements online, in hopes of identifying and res- cuing human trafficking vic-
in the front seat. The suspect was identified as Frank Ramos Terry.
Upon meeting with both women, deputies had proba- ble cause to take both women into custody. Through inves- tigative means, they deter- mined one of the women was a victim of human trafficking. They learned the suspect had forced the victim into com- mercial sexual acts in order to pay a debt she owed him.
Terry is facing charges of coerce for commercial sex act by human trafficking, deriving support from proceeds of prostitution, and transport- ing for prostitution. He was transported to the Falkenburg Road Jail.
Man Pleads Guilty To Drug,
Killing Witness
House, $400,000 In Cash
Agents with the Florida De- partment of Law En- forcement (FDLE), ar- rested a 37- year-old Lake Wales man and
MARLON BURGES
A 51-year-old man has pleaded guilty to drug and firearm charges. Edwin Hill, of Holiday, a/k/a “Z,” faces a mandatory minimum penalty of 20 years, and up to life, in federal prison, and is subject to enhanced minimum penal- ties due to a prior conviction for attempted first-degree murder.
He has agreed to forfeit his interest in a house in Pasco County that was used in the offense, approximately $400,536 in drug proceeds, three handguns, and assorted ammunition.
Hill was arrested on Sep- tember 27, 2018, and has re- mained in custody. The charges filed against him are: conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distrib- ute 1 kilogram or more of heroin and 400 grams or more of fentanyl; four counts of distribution of fentanyl; possession of 400 grams or more of fentanyl and 500 grams or more of cocaine with intent to distribute; and pos- session of firearms in further- ance of drug trafficking.
During an interview with law enforcement, Hill admit- ted to his involvement in drug trafficking, ownership of the
FRANK RAMOS TERRY
tims and arresting those re- sponsible for the crime.
On October 12, 2022, un- dercover detectives met with two women at the hotel. Prior to entering the lobby, they ob- served a ride-sharing service vehicle drop them off. A male passenger was also observed
Lake Wales Man
Arrested For
Gun Charges; Forfeits
charged him with murder. The victim was slated to testify against him.
According to FDLE, an ar- rest warrant was served on Marlon Tyrone Burgess after he allegedly killed a wit- ness who was planning to tes- tify against him in an upcoming attempted murder trial.
Burgess has been charged with first-degree murder, kid- napping, tampering with phys- ical evidence, attempted murder and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
FDLE Tampa Bay Special Agent in Charge Mark Brut- nell said, “Friends of this sus- pect described him as dangerous and willing to do whatever was needed to avoid going back to prison. So, with cold and calculating persist- ence Burgess came up with a plan to murder the one person who could put him back be- hind bars.”
seized guns, and that the money was the result of drug proceeds.
After agreeing to cooperate with law enforcement, Hill secretly, sent three text mes- sages to co-conspirator Nel- son White letting him know that Hill had been arrested.
Law enforcement officers observed White leave his res- idence after a bag was loaded into his car. A deputy from the Pasco Sheriff’s Office pulled over White’s car for a traffic violation and found approxi- mately an additional pound of fentanyl, almost a half-kilo- gram of cocaine, more than $29,000 in cash, four addi- tional firearms, and assorted ammunition.
White was convicted of conspiracy and sentenced to more than 21 years in federal prison on December 1, 2020.
EDWIN NELSON HILL WHITE
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