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Deputies: Lauderhill man arrested on charges of human trafficking in Tampa

 
Published Feb. 27, 2015

TAMPA — A Lauderhill man is under arrest for kidnapping a woman at knife point in West Palm Beach and then holding her in a Tampa hotel for days, feeding her only lettuce and water and selling her for sex, deputies said.

Kashamba Jahmal John, 27, met the woman at a Walgreens in West Palm Beach on Monday night. When she climbed into his vehicle, John threatened the woman with a knife, according to the arrest report.

John brought her to the Red Roof Inn, at 10121 Horace Avenue in Tampa, where he gave her only water and lettuce to eat and arranged appointments for her to engage in prostitution so he could collect the proceeds. He held her there until Wednesday, when she escaped, the report said.

John does not have a criminal history in Florida, but he did serve three years of prison time in Georgia for aggravated assault, according to state records. He was also arrested in July 2014 on charges of robbery in New Jersey, the Jersey Journal reported.

John faces a felony charge of human trafficking and another charge of deriving support from proceeds of prostitution. He is being held at the Hillsborough County Jail on $175,000 bond.

Times researchers Caryn Baird and John Martin contributed to this report. Contact Katie Mettler at kmettler@tampabay.com or (813) 226-3446. Follow @kemettler.