Alleged sex trafficking at Amherst inn

AMHERST, N.Y. (WIVB) - Two people from Rochester are accused of sex trafficking and prosecutors say they used an Amherst hotel to engage in illegal activities with one of their victims.

Police were called to the Red Roof Inn in March of 2012 regarding prostitution activity. An employee at the hotel had recognized a 17-year-old girl being as advertised on Backpage.com. Police say they saw 30-year-old Otis Willis and 23-year-old Tiffany St. Denis with the victim.

RELATED | This Red Roof Inn has been the scene of other sex trafficking cases. In August, police arrested Kenneth Graham and accused him of sex trafficking a 16-year-old, 17-year-old and woman in her 20s

The teen told authorities she had met Willis in Rochester and he had brought her to a home on Grand Avenue. The teen told police that at the residence, Willis and St. Denis both tried to convince her to prostitute herself and Willis told her to go by another name. Investigators say two people paid to have sex with the teen and St. Denis at the Red Roof Inn in Amherst.

In August of 2012, the FBI was alerted that a 16-year-old girl was being promoted by the pair. In this case, the victim told authorities St. Denis gave her free cocaine to prostitute herself. When she tried to stop engaging in the activity, the victim told authorities Willis beat her up.
 

After being arrested Friday, both St. Denis and Willis were held pending a detention hearing. Both are charged with sex trafficking of a minor. If found guilty, they face a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in jail.