In a troubling incident in Pulaski County, Missouri, four individuals have been arrested on charges of child sex trafficking after a 13-year-old runaway was discovered in an apartment in St. Robert.
Authorities found the girl at the Osage Commons Apartments in October. In a probable cause statement, it was revealed that numerous sexual items were discovered in the girl’s purse during her rescue. After her recovery, the girl was transported to the Missouri Children’s Division office, where she tested positive for drugs, including marijuana, methamphetamine, and ecstasy.
One of the individuals involved, Danika Gillen, was found in the same room as the juvenile and subsequently taken into custody. Gillen made a statement to deputies, indicating that the girl was in a relationship with an adult male.
Kaleb Gibson, a member of the Missouri National Guard, admitted to being in a relationship with the girl. He told law enforcement that he believed she was of legal age.
Gibson disclosed during interviews with investigators that he had initially met the girl on the dating app Tinder. He further revealed that another individual, Emma Simpson, sometimes accompanied the girl. Gibson also admitted to providing the girl with money in exchange for sexual acts.
In a disturbing discovery, documents revealed that the juvenile bore a tattoo of a dollar sign on her left middle finger, a recognized branding used on human trafficking victims. The apartment in question also contained baggies with a crystal-like substance and syringes filled with liquid.
According to Gillen’s statements, the juvenile had engaged in sexual activities with a man named Ulysses Tallie.
After arresting Emma Simpson as part of the ongoing investigation, law enforcement executed a search warrant on her phone. The phone’s text messages exposed conversations between Simpson and Tallie, in which they discussed exchanging money for the girl’s participation in sexual acts.
Ulysses Tallie was subsequently arrested at a family member’s residence on October 30. He now faces charges of first-degree statutory rape and second-degree sexual trafficking of a child. Additionally, Tallie has been charged with failing to register as a sex offender in a separate case.
Danika Gillen, Kaleb Gibson, and Emma Simpson are all facing charges of sexual trafficking of a child. They are currently being held in the Pulaski County Jail as the legal proceedings progress. This shocking case serves as a stark reminder of the importance of vigilance and action against child exploitation and trafficking to protect our most vulnerable citizens.
