A Minnetonka pair suspected of running a national underage sex trafficking ring from the shores of Lake Minnetonka to California and Hawaii, and concealing their crimes with a shell business, have been charged with several felonies.
Washington County prosecutors allege that Ricky Arlen Turner, 28, and Brittany Marie Harenza, 25, used the dating link on Backpage.com to advertise girls and women for prostitution. They used social media to lure females into the business.
Turner, who was charged with five felony counts including sex trafficking and racketeering, remained in jail Friday on $500,000 bond. Harenza, charged with racketeering and engaging in business to conceal criminal proceeds, was released on bail Thursday.
Police have found evidence that the pair may have operated in 14 states, according to an electronic trail uncovered with subpoenas served on Backpage.
Woodbury police detectives, who led the investigation, spent months obtaining search warrants and then combing through internet, phone, travel and business records to build their case.
"Early examination of the cellphone reveals a prolific amount of trafficking over a long period of time," according to the criminal complaint.
Police uncovered more than 1,600 sex ads on Backpage associated with Harenza's phone number. Detectives also conducted surveillance on the pair's Lake Minnetonka home and at hotels across the Twin Cities, including in Woodbury and downtown Minneapolis.
Woodbury police declined to discuss specifics of the pending investigation. However, Woodbury Detective Paul Kroshus said several agencies — including the Washington County Sheriff's Office and police departments in St. Paul, Minnetonka, Eden Prairie, Oakdale and Cottage Grove — worked on the case.
