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Charlotte couple, man's mother accused of sex trafficking minors to Myrtle Beach

By Blake Hanson
By Blake Hanson

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — A grand jury has indicted a man, his wife and his mother after they were accused of sex trafficking minors to Myrtle Beach.

A federal judge read the allegations against Brianna Wright and Tanya Fuentes Monday in court. The two were arrested Friday. They are accused of helping Tanya's son and Brianna's husband, Zerrell Fuentes, pay bond by using money made by prostituting three minors.

Jail records show that Zerrell Fuentes was booked April 28, 2016, on hit-and-run, gun and drug charges.

The grand jury indictment revealed that over the next couple of weeks, he used the phone at the jail to recruit young girls to have sex and make money for him to post bond.

Federal investigators said Tanya Fuentes and Wright took the girls to Myrtle Beach for prostitution.

Channel 9 found Wright's Facebook page, on which she appeared to have posted about the federal investigation before her arrest on Friday.

She posted: "Woke up to find out the Feds just really picked up my case."

Hannah Arrowood of Present Age Ministries, which works with local and federal law enforcement and counsels survivors of sex trafficking, said it's a long recovery process for girls who have gone through it.

"We have girls we have worked with for years at this point," Arrowood said.

She also said there has been a huge increase in cases.

"We're not sure if there is an increase in awareness, that there are so many referrals or if it's an increase in activity," Arrowood said.

(Click PLAY to watch Blake's Facebook Live detailing the case)

Three people indicted in Charlotte for sex trafficking girls to make a bond payment. More tonight at 6.

Posted by Blake Hanson on Monday, April 24, 2017

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