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Police called to Jacksonville hotel nearly 400 times in 3 years

By Jenna Bourne, Action News Jax
By Jenna Bourne, Action News Jax
The Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office has been called out to a hotel that was the site of a recent human trafficking bust 385 times in three years.
Last week, JSO rescued a young woman with special needs who they say was being forced to have sex for money at the Baymont Inn & Suites on Blanding Boulevard in Argyle Forest.
JSO arrested Demontre Clark and Tamia Oliver at the hotel after investigators said they were advertising the missing young woman for sex on Backpage.com.
Action News Jax requested all JSO calls for service at the hotel for the past three years.
The 31 pages of results show JSO gets called out there, on average, every three days.
The trafficking victim told police she bought drugs from a dealer at the hotel.
Multiple recent online reviews mention drug activity. One reviewer from two weeks ago said they found a crack pipe in their room.
Another review from two months ago said there are “hookers all over the place.”
“I don’t have anything to talk to you about,” said hotel manager Parry Shah.
After Action News Jax questioned whether he’s taking action to address crime at the hotel, Shah said “Oh, absolutely. We are doing it.”
Shah said the hotel has been under new management for the past six months.
He said he installed 32 security cameras all over the property and the hotel is no longer accepting cash for payment, only credit cards.

Cox Media Group

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