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Okeechobee man charged with attempted human trafficking, kidnapping

Posted at 4:02 PM, Apr 19, 2018
and last updated 2018-04-19 16:02:15-04

A woman nearly the victim of human trafficking was found thanks to her family tracking her cellphone, according to a recently released arrest report. 

Expavious Mills kidnaped the woman from St. Lucie County, forced her into the car, and drove along St. Road 70, the report states. Okeechobee Police rescued the woman from the car on Feb. 16. 

The woman told St. Lucie County Sheriff’s Office detectives she had been hiding from Mills, also known as “Spade,” because she owed him about $1,000 for drugs. Mills woke her up, “power slapped” her face, and demanded money from her while holding a knife, the woman said in the report.

The woman said Mills was driving her to a motel to work off her debt as a prostitute for him, detectives wrote in the report. 

Mills planned to make a Backpage ad and took pictures of the woman, the report states. The woman’s sister was able to call 911, who worked with law enforcement to find the victim. 

Mills sent her messages threatening to hurt her and her family when she was hiding from him, the report states. The victim said Mills is involved in drugs and “tricks,” prostitution. 

In an interview with detectives, Mills reportedly said he gave the victim crack cocaine and was trying to get money from her.

Mills used coercion to control the victim and planned on sexually exploiting her for his financial gain, detectives wrote in the report. 

Mills was arrested in Okeechobee in February and then booked into the St. Lucie County Jail on April 17. He was released on $75,000 bond.

He is charged with attempted human trafficking and kidnapping.