There was surprise and disbelief for businesses at a Bristol strip mall after two men were arrested on human trafficking charges. Police said the men were allegedly operating a prostitution ring at a business there.
“There was a bunch of police officers that came in and everybody was surprised,” Timothy Terwilliger, the owner of SuppLife Vitamin and Nutrition, said.
Terwilliger’s store is next door to Aqua After Dark, which Bristol police said was allegedly used to run a prostitution ring.
Officers said they got complaints about the spa business since January.
Get top local stories in Connecticut delivered to you every morning. >Sign up for NBC Connecticut's News Headlines newsletter.
“We had a lot of customers that began to complain and supposedly a lot of people began tipping off the police about things they saw late at night,” Terwilliger said.
Terwilliger said he was speaking to 64-year-old Vincent Whiteley about buying gym equipment when the cops came and the arrest was calm.
“He said, ‘What am I arrested for?’” Vinny said, ‘What am I arrested for? The cops said for trafficking and prostitution and then Vinny proclaimed he’s innocent,” Terwilliger said.
Local
Bristol police and state arrested Whiteley, a Meriden resident, and 64-year-old David Henderson, of Southington, on Wednesday.
Both face charges including conspiracy at trafficking in persons and conspiracy at second-degree promoting prostitution.
Henderson faces two additional charges of trafficking in persons and permitting prostitution.
A worker at a restaurant next door was stunned by the news.
“It’s pretty close to home, like literally next door. I never would’ve guessed. I never would have thought,” Wilson Luangpraseuth, a worker at Pho & Spice 2, said.
Yvette Young, with The Village for Families and Children, said prostitution can be an element of human trafficking.
“If there is forced fraud or coercion, then now we've moved into it being a sex trafficking case,” she said.
She says victims can face lifelong trauma from emotional and physical pain, but there are resources to help any survivors.
“We can provide that trauma support clinical work that a survivor may need. So, it's just a matter of making contact,” Young said.
Terwilliger said that while the charges are unnerving to hear, he’s confident in police handling this case.
“I don’t doubt they have whatever evidence they need,” he said.
Both suspects are being held on $250,000 bond.
Anyone who’s is in need of help can call The Village’s 24-hour hotline at 860-236-4511.
