LAKE PARK, Fla. -- A Lake Park man is accused of human trafficking of a juvenile and having sex with a 15-year-old girl.
The Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office says Andre Benjamin, known by the nickname "Turk", was making money off of multiple women having sex for money.
PBSO spoke with a person who claimed they sold several types of drugs and sold sexual services from women, with all of the profits from the sales going to Turk.
The complainant told detectives that Turk had people selling cocaine for him in many different bars and parties. They also claimed that Turk had someone working at strip clubs who would facilitate sexual encounters in the champagne rooms with the strippers for Turk.
PBSO says the complainant told deputies that Turk did not have a car and had a friend act as his driver. According to the arrest report, it was typical for Turk and his friend to have "pills", morphine, marijuana, acid, cocaine, molly, ecstasy and heroin in the vehicle.
Investigators say they spoke with a 15-year-old girl who says she met Turk in approximately late January or early February when she was skipping school. She followed him to his house in Riviera Beach and he gave her marijuana and cocaine to sell, and allowed her to keep the majority of the profit from what she sold, according to the PBSO report.
She said Turk later provided Xanax, "Oxy", and Adderall and initially allowed her to keep all of the profits from selling them as well.
However, she says, as time progressed he has demanded more and more money from her. According to PBSO, she says she had to hustle and sell the pills for more than she typically would so she could still make money.
The girl told PBSO that she went to Turk's house on "countless" occasions and almost every time she had sexual intercourse with him. According to the girl, she also used drugs almost every time she was there, mostly cocaine, marijuana, and Xanax, but also acid and morphine on a few occasions. She says she told Turk she was 15 years old on the day they met and he told her he was 25 years old.
According to the arrest report, she says Turk was aware that she was selling drugs at her high school.
PBSO says investigators spoke with the girl's friends who corroborated her statements about selling various drugs and giving most of the profits to Turk. They were also aware of her sexual relationship with Turk.
Investigators obtained a data analysis of the girl's cell phone which revealed photos of her and Turk, photos of drugs, and text messages confirming drug use and a sexual relationship between the girl and Turk.
Andre "Turk" Benjamin was arrested on felony charges of Human Trafficking of a juvenile for labor, and two counts of Lewd and Lascivious Battery for engaging in sexual activity with a person 12 years of age or older but less than 16 years of age.
