Dezmon Clinton, a 20-year-old man wanted on human trafficking charges, was arrested Friday afternoon after a SWAT roll lasting more than three hours at the Sleep Inn & Suites in Metairie.
The operation involved the New Orleans Police Special Victims Unit, U.S. Marshals, FBI, and Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office SWAT team.
Deputies said Clinton had been staying at the motel for about five days, though it is unclear if he was operating there.
Daniel Pauli, who has run a lawn shop near the hotel for 52 years, described the scene.
“You couldn’t even walk around here,” Pauli said. “They were blocking all my customers coming to work. I said: ‘Y’all got to give me a tax break or something.'”
Law enforcement told WDSU they were responding to calls of a fugitive, which started after 9:30 a.m. and ended after 1 p.m. with Clinton’s arrest.
Authorities believe he operated out of several motels on Chef Menteur Highway and possibly another in New Orleans East last month.
Clinton faces seven counts of human trafficking out of New Orleans, and according to law enforcement, he didn’t act alone.
As of Friday afternoon, law enforcement was still searching for a female suspect, who they later arrested that night in Jacksonville, Florida.
The woman has been identified as 22-year-old Akasia Crowley, who was also charged with seven counts of human trafficking.
Sherri Combs, director of strategic initiatives for Covenant House New Orleans, a human trafficking survivor network, explained why traffickers often move between locations.
“They move around a lot because it prevents law enforcement from being able to do an impactful investigation. It keeps them under the radar, and it’s easier for them to continue to exploit their victims that way,” she said.
This is not Clinton’s first encounter with the law. Records show that five years ago, at the age of 15, he was arrested in Jackson, Mississippi, for capital murder and armed carjacking.
If you or someone you know is being trafficked, resources are available.
The human trafficking hotline is open 24/7 with confidential services. They can be reached at 1-888-373-7888.
For more information and resources, click here.
READ MORE:Human trafficking suspects arrested after SWAT roll at Metairie hotel
