The Franklin County, Florida Sheriff's Office arrested Kevin Wyatt, 49, Sunday on five felony charges, including sex trafficking. Wyatt was a fugitive from nearby Gadsden County, where authorities allege he traded sex with an underage girl to dealers in exchange for drugs. The Sex Trafficking took place over a period of more than 13 years, according to probable cause affidavits. This was confirmed in a report by the New York Post.
Wyatt's girlfriend, Celeste Chambers, 36, was arrested several months ago in Gadsden County on charges of sexual battery on a child, lewd or lascivious child molestation, and human trafficking by a parent or legal guardian in connection with the same allegations concerning the underage girl.
Chambers bonded out on that charge and is awaiting a January 2 trial. She was rearrested last week on additional Gadsden County charges, including three counts of sexual assault and one count of cruelty to a child and remains in jail.
Authorities allege Florida couple beat child if she refused to have sex with men
The lengths to which Wyatt and Chambers extended their prostitution of the girl in order to get whatever they wanted at the time were spelled out in probable cause affidavits. The multi-jurisdictional investigation, which began when the girl was able to tell her story to authorities, uncovered evidence indicating that if the girl at any time refused to have sex with the men to whom Wyatt and Chambers were offering her, Wyatt would beat her.
Authorities also allege that Wyatt would sometimes watch as the men had sex with the child.
In addition to drugs, the Florida couple offered the girl's sexual services in exchange for money and fighting chickens, according to the probable cause affidavit. The prostitution of the child began in February 2003 and continued through March 2016, according to Gadsden County authorities.
Teen used by Florida couple in sex trafficking, prostitution, trying to adjust to normal, everyday life
Life has changed for the better for the teenage girl since she came forward to Gadsden County authorities and told the sordid story of what she had been forced to endure for nearly all of her young life. She was immediately removed from the supervision of Chambers and Wyatt and eventually ended up staying with relatives who were unaware of the circumstances of her home life.
Gadsden County authorities say the girl is attending school and doing her best to adjust to living a normal, everyday existence. The Florida Safe Harbor Act, passed by the legislature in 2012, enables law enforcement to deliver minors who are in situations where their home lives present a danger to them to be placed in safe houses on a temporary basis. Before being placed in safe houses or foster homes, the children work with specially trained case managers who help them with their adjustment.
