2 Underage Girls From Portland Rescued From Human Trafficker in Bellevue, Washington
Bellevue, WA: A 25-year-old man from Federal Way was arrested by Bellevue police on Tuesday for allegedly sex trafficking two underage girls from Oregon. One of the victims was just 11 years old, while the other was 15. The suspect is said to have met the girls online.
Ezra Wimana is currently in custody at King County Jail with a bail set at $500,000. The charges against Wimana include two counts of second-degree human trafficking, two counts of promoting commercial sexual abuse of a minor, and one count of third-degree rape of a child. According to authorities, Wimana made their initial court appearance on Wednesday.
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According to the Bellevue Police Department (BPD), an eastern Oregon police department recently reached out to them regarding two missing minors who were believed to be victims of human trafficking. The BPD located the two girls at a Bellevue residence and safely reunited them with their parents.
According to the police, the victims were targeted by the trafficking scheme when they interacted with Wimana on Instagram and Snapchat. Wimana traveled to eastern Oregon, near Pendleton, and transported the girls back over 300 miles with the intention of engaging in sexual activities with them and exploiting them for the sex trade, according to prosecutors.
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Based on the charging documents, it is stated that Wimana engaged in sexual activity with a 15-year-old individual, who had recently celebrated their birthday less than two weeks before the reported incident.
According to the BPD, Wimana is accused of coercing the girls into trying to engage in prostitution on Aurora Avenue in north Seattle. The victims were reportedly left on the side of the road by Wimana when he was unsatisfied with their performance.
