March 28, 2024
Annapolis, US 51 F

2nd Human Trafficking Arrest

In a separate incident, Anne Arundel County Police with their State and Federal partners have arrested another man in human trafficking of a 19 year old girl. Two days ago, Derwin Smith of Glen Burnie was arrested for trafficking a 12 year old girl. Yesterday, police arrested Gabriel Dreke-Hernandez at the Garden Inn in Laurel.

Here is the statement from the Anne Arundel County Police:

Gabriel Dreke-Hernandez a.k.a “Echo”
Gabriel Dreke-Hernandez a.k.a Echo

On June 9, 2010, at approximately 10:15 p.m., members of the Maryland Human Trafficking Task Force, comprised of the Anne Arundel County Police Department, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Maryland State Police, responded to the Garden Inn located in the 3400 block of Laurel Fort Meade Road in Laurel to assist a 19-year-old female victim, who had been abducted and forced into prostitution. Officers were alerted by a family member, who was contacted by a friend of the victim.

Investigators interviewed the female victim and she reported that she was taken from a party in Prince George’s County off of University Boulevard at the end of April and moved to a hotel, where she was threatened, assaulted and placed into prostitution. At this time, there is no evidence to indicate that the victim had engaged in prostitution prior to her encounter with the suspect.

Once at the hotel, the suspect, Gabriel Dreke-Hernandez a.k.a “Echo”, 23, of 8801 Berkshire Drive, Hyattsville Maryland, grabbed her around the throat and began to choke her. Hernandez then pushed her head against the wall several times before placing a knife to her throat and demanding that she follow his commands. The female further advised that all of the money made was collected and kept by the suspect. At one point, she indicated that she would not prostitute any longer and the suspect subsequently pulled her into the bathroom and threatened her again with a knife. She remained in constant fear of the suspect because of his physical assaults on her and the threats he continuously made to harm her and her family.

On June 9, 2010, at approximately 10:15 p.m., officers located and retrieved the 19-year-old female victim, who was then transported to the Western District Police Station, where she reported that two additional girls were occupying a hotel room at the Garden Inn. Uniform officers still at the hotel located the two females, a 23-year-old and a 16-year-old juvenile. Both females were taken to Western District and interviewed. Through the investigation, it was determined that the juvenile victim was posted on the Internet for the purposes of prostitution.

On June 10, 2010, at approximately 1:00 a.m., Gabriel Dreke-Hernandez a.k.a “Echo”, arrived at a hotel room at the Garden Inn and was taken into custody by a waiting surveillance team. Hernandez was transported to Western District and charged with 1st & 2nd Degree Assault, Human Trafficking, Human Trafficking by Force, Human Trafficking Compensation, Human Trafficking of a Minor, Human Trafficking of a Minor by Force, Human Trafficking Compensation of a Minor, Prostitution, Kidnapping of the 19-year-old and False Imprisonment of the 19-year-old. The investigation is ongoing at this time.

“For the second time this week, a citizen has come forward with information that led to the arrest of a dangerous criminal,” County Executive John R. Leopold said. “We will continue to be vigilant against depraved individuals who victimize children.”

Anyone with further information to contribute to the case is asked to contact Detective Dan Dickey of the Special Enforcement Section at 410-222-6003.

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