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Des Moines man charged with human trafficking

(Photo: Polk County Jail / Special to the Register)
(Photo: Polk County Jail / Special to the Register)

A Des Moines man arrested Wednesday night is suspected of providing drugs and makeup to a girl and selling her for sex, court records show.

Marlin Santana Thomas, 41, was charged with human trafficking. He is suspected of arranging for three men to have sex with the victim, who is younger than 18, in exchange for money on Feb. 9 at a West Des Moines hotel, court records show.

Thomas was booked into the Polk County Jail at about 10:50 p.m. Wednesday after Des Moines police arrested him at a home in the 1500 block of East 13th Street, police and jail records show. He was arrested on an outstanding warrant for the human trafficking case.

Court records allege Thomas arranged for the three unidentified men to have sex with the victim on Feb. 9 at a West Des Moines hotel. He collected money from the three men and gave food, shelter, narcotics and makeup to the victim, court records show.

Des Moines police spokesman Sgt. Paul Parizek said the victim was from Marshalltown. He said he didn’t know how she met the suspect.

Police are continuing to investigate this case, and Thomas could face additional charges, Parizek said.

Thomas appeared in court Thursday morning, and his jail bond was set at $25,000, records show.

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Preda Foundation Inc.

The work of Preda Foundation is focused on alleviating the physical, emotional, psychological and sexual abuse and suffering of children and preventing abuse through community education and social media.

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