In a disturbing case of human trafficking, Delquan Maurice Danford, a 32-year-old man, has been taken into custody after a warrant was issued for his arrest two months earlier. The charges against him involve human trafficking and forcing a woman into prostitution in both Salt Lake City and along the Las Vegas Strip.
The case unfolded when a woman from Las Vegas, whose identity has not been disclosed, bravely spoke out against Danford’s heinous actions. This prompted a Salt Lake County judge in the 3rd District Court to issue a warrant for his arrest on August 10. Danford faces one count of aggravated human trafficking, a first-degree felony, and was ordered to be held without bail.
The victim, hailing from Las Vegas, revealed that she was coerced into prostitution by Danford, both in the bustling environment of the Las Vegas Strip and in Salt Lake City. She described a nightmarish ordeal in which she was subjected to relentless physical abuse.
“He beat me up on a regular basis…pulled out guns on me. Did anything violent that you can think of,” she recounted in an interview. One particularly harrowing incident involved Danford hurling the woman across a hotel room and repeatedly punching her until she lost consciousness. This horrifying account was corroborated by medical records from Las Vegas, which verified her injuries.
Court documents state that Danford forcibly sent the woman to Utah on a one-way ticket, and she didn’t know how long she would be there. During her time in Utah, court documents indicate that Danford imposed a daily “quota” on her, demanding that she generate a minimum of $800 per day through prostitution. An investigation revealed that she had sent Danford 19 transactions totaling nearly $13,000. However, she reported that she had provided him with even more money.
The details surrounding Danford’s arrest have not been made publicly available. An initial appearance for him has not been scheduled at this time.
This case highlights the grim reality of human trafficking, where individuals like Danford exploit and control vulnerable victims, subjecting them to physical and emotional trauma. It serves as a stark reminder of the importance of combating human trafficking and supporting survivors to ensure that those responsible for these horrendous crimes are brought to justice.
