by Wesley Harris
A report of a customer refusing to provide identification to purchase cigarettes led Ruston Police officers to arrest a local man wanted on for multiple counts of human trafficking.
Ruston Police officers were dispatched to the Circle K at 1408 North Trenton Street at about 7:30 a.m. Sunday regarding suspicious activity.
When officers arrived, they spoke with a store clerk who said a man attempted to purchase cigarettes. When asked for identification, the man became upset and left the store. The clerk then saw the man send a female inside to purchase the cigarettes.
The clerk told police she believed the woman was attempting to alter her appearance and told the woman she could not sell her the cigarettes either. The male became irate again but left the store before officers’ arrival.
Officers quickly located the vehicle and a male matched the description provided by the clerk.
A records check revealed Curtis Keshawn Davis, 43, of Ruston, was wanted on active warrants held by the Louisiana Office of Alcohol and Tobacco Control for 14 counts of human trafficking. Davis was taken into custody without incident and transported to the Lincoln Parish Detention Center where he was booked on the outstanding warrants.
The woman was not with Davis at the time of his arrest. RPD immediately attempted to assess the welfare of the woman involved to ensure she was not a victim of human trafficking. Patrol officers were able to identify her and later located her at her residence. They confirmed she was not a victim of human trafficking, but rather an acquaintance of Davis.
The Ruston Police Department commended the store employee for recognizing suspicious behavior and promptly contacting law enforcement. Situational awareness and reporting suspicious activity can make a significant difference in protecting our community, RPD said.
While the Louisiana Office of Alcohol and Tobacco Control (ATC) is not the state’s lead human trafficking agency, it plays an important frontline enforcement and detection role because it regulates and inspects businesses where trafficking may occur, such as bars, nightclubs, restaurants, hotels with alcohol permits, and certain special event venues.
Attempts to learn the details of the charges against Davis from ATC required submission of an open records request. No response had been received from ATC by publication time.
According to Ruston Police, human trafficking often occurs in plain sight. If you or someone you know may be a victim of human trafficking or needs advocacy services, please contact Dragonfly Harbor at advocacy@thedragonflyharbor.org.
This information has been provided by a law enforcement agency as public information. Persons named or shown in photographs or video as suspects in a criminal investigation, or arrested and charged with a crime, have not been convicted of any criminal offense and are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
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