2 arrests in case of human trafficking, death of teen

ORLANDO, Fla. (WOFL FOX 35) - Two arrests have been made in connection with the death of a teenager whose drug overdose led investigators to a human trafficking ring.

Arthur Lee Coleman III, 26, and Karla Michelle Quiros Alsina, 20, were taken into custody in Atlanta on Monday.  Each will face charges of first-degree murder, human trafficking of a child, procuring a minor for prostitution, racketeering, and possession and transmission of child pornography.

Last week, Orlando police announced the arrests of two other individuals accused of having ties to the alleged ring.  Avorice Jeno Holman, 19, and Jose Ignacio Santiago-Sotomayor, 22, remain in the Orange County Jail where they're being held without bond.

The teenager, a 14-year-old girl, was brought to an Orlando hospital on Aug. 14, suffering from an overdose of cold medicine dextromethorphan and Xanax. She later died.  Authorities said another teen, a 15-year-old girlm was also lured into prostitution at the same time.  

"They gave the drugs to the girls in order for them to forget about having sex with the men," said Orlando police Det. Michael Fields during a news conference last Wednesday. He added, "The girls felt threatened, they were shown guns, firearms and told that bad things would happen to them if they were to tell." The abuse allegedly went on for eight days.

During the news conference, Chief John Mina said they are seeking murder charges because the girl died while the four were allegedly committing other felonies. "It was foreseeable to everyone involved in an inherently dangerous felony that someone could have died during the commission of these felony crimes," Mina said.

When the girl died, an officer at the hospital started investigating and called detectives.

Police then conducted interviews, looked at records including text messages and surveillance video, and executed search warrants. Fields' affidavit, which ran to 732 pages, was only partially released Wednesday.

Fields said the girls were introduced to Santiago-Sotomayor through a mutual friend. They were looking to make money, though not through the sex trade, he said. But, Fields said, Santiago-Sotomayor told the girls sex would be lucrative and introduced them to the other people.

Information taken from the Associated Press.