Man charged with forcing women into prostitution
By Teresa Auch Schultz tauch@post-trib.com October 4, 2012 5:34PM
Updated: November 6, 2012 6:30AM
A man with connections to Gary and Chicago is accused of trafficking women for sex across state lines, according to the U.S. Attorney’s office in Hammond.
Montell Williams, 32, was charged Thursday at the U.S. District Court in Hammond with sex trafficking by force and violating the Mann Act, which bans taking people across state lines for illegal purposes.
A probable cause affidavit filed in August for a search warrant of Williams said Gary Police discovered Williams had three women living with him who he forced into prostitution.
He met the first woman, identified only as Victim No. 1, in 2010 on a dating website. He soon asked her if he could pimp her, however, and she told police she felt at the time she had to go with him.
They then lived in Calumet Park, Ill., where she would work at several motels. Another victim soon joined them, and he advertised both women online as escorts. Williams collected all the money they made. He also beat them several times in 2010 and 2011, including one time when he beat Victim No. 1 because she left without telling him. He hit her with a power cord, dropped a dumbbell on her and poured cleaning liquid in her eyes. The injuries included two broken ribs, an open head wound and bruises to her head and torso. She had to go to The Methodist Hospitals Southlake campus.
He also threw her at the wall so hard on another occasion that she left a hole.
Williams moved to Gary in April 2011 but drove the women to Illinois to pimp them. He recruited the third woman, Victim No. 2, in January by advertising for an escort for his business, Diamond Dollz Entertainment.
Victim No. 2 had a black eye when Gary police went to Williams’ house and matched a description they had for a woman being held against her will. Although she at first said she was OK, she later asked police when she was alone for help leaving the house and said Williams forced her into prostitution.
Williams was arrested at that time but it is unclear if is in custody now.
