Tenn. man booked in human trafficking

A Tennessee man accused of forcing a 20-year-old woman to prostitute herself in four states for more than a month while he was on probation f or prostitution charges in Jef f erson Parish has been arrested.

Nicholas Deshun Crutchfield, 29, 9326 S. Fairmont Circle, Collierville, Tenn., was booked by East Baton Rouge Parish sheriff’s deputies Thursday with human trafficking, possession of marijuana, failure to signal and brake light out, according to parish prison records.

According to an af f idavit of probable cause, the victim told EBR deputies that Crutchf ield f orced her to prostitute herself against her will for one to two months in Tennessee, Mississippi, Florida and Louisiana, and told her he would beat her and make her sit in a corner like a punished child if she tried to leave.

The victim also told deputies Crutchfield would charge customers $100 for 30 minutes of sex with her and $150 for an hour, according to the affidavit.

Crutchfield was arrested after deputies pulled him over Thursday night on Siegen Lane because his vehicle had a broken brake light and he made a right turn without turning on his indicator light.

The victim, who was a passenger in Crutchfield’s vehicle, told deputies that Crutchfield gave her a bag of marijuana to hide when they were pulled over.

This is Crutchfield’s second arrest with trafficking since 2010.

Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s deputies arrested him on Feb. 18, 2010, in a Super 8 motel room with a 15-year-old girl who was advertising herself as a prostitute on the Internet, according to the affidavit of probable cause for that arrest.

As part of a plea deal, Crutchfield pleaded guilty to promoting prostitution in December 2010 and was sentenced to 2 years in prison and five years of probation.Crutchfield was initially charged with the trafficking of children for sexual purposes, carnal knowledge of a juvenile and contributing by sexual immoral act.

Jefferson Parish officials will likely place a hold on Crutchfield and transport him back to Jefferson Parish to have his probation revoked once he is finished in the Baton Rouge case, East Baton Rouge Parish District Attorney Hillar Moore III said.

Online records from the 24th Judicial District Court show a bench warrant has been issued for him because he allegedly has $1,400 in unpaid court fees.