Woman kidnapped on street in NYC was forced into prostitution for months

April 3, 2014 9:41 AM By Andy Brooks

A woman turned up in downtown Salt Lake City with an horrifying story of being kidnapped by two people and forced into the human trafficking and sex industry.

Jean Joseph, 26, and Tara L. Pinnock, 24, were arrested on Monday in Utah on suspicion of rape, human trafficking, aggravated assault and kidnapping.

Police say the pair kidnapped the woman, whose identity is being protected, at the bus station in New York City during this year’s Super Bowl, knocked her unconscious, and then dragged her across the country, forcing her into prostitution along the way.

She claims she was taken to Chicago, where she was sexually assaulted before being taken to Grand Junction, Colo., then to Denver and Salt Lake City, all the while being forced to have sex with men for money.

“She’s been held in captivity this whole time and isn’t quite sure how much time has gone by,” Sgt. Robin Heiden of the St. Lake City Police Department told television station Fox 13. “At some point, she was knocked unconscious and woke up in a different state.”

Pinnock was previously charged in February in Stanford, Connecticut for being involved in human trafficking and prostitution during the Super Bowl, according to Connecticut State Police.

Police responded to the woman’s 911 call, finding her in a downtown Salt Lake parking lot. She had a black eye and other injuries. She then led them to the hotel where they arrested the Pinnocks the following day.

The woman hospitalized for her injuries but has since been released.