Wisconsin strip club human-trafficking ring linked to at least 24 victims, search warrants reveal
By Emily Pofahl
Click here for updates on this story
FRANKLIN, Wisconsin (WISN) — A five-year investigation into a human-trafficking ring centered around the On the Border strip club in Franklin has revealed that at least 24 victims were forced to perform sex acts in Wisconsin and four other states, according to newly unsealed search warrants obtained by WISN 12 News.
The investigation resulted in charges against four men, with allegations that women were trafficked across several states, including Wisconsin, Florida, Illinois, Louisiana, and Mississippi.
Court documents said that the club’s manager, Brian Hopkins, and his staff were allegedly “benefiting from commercial sex acts” in the club’s VIP room.
Investigators have also named Jimmy Durant as a well-known trafficker, and Dantavia Rule and Maurice Russel as recruiters. All four men are charged with crimes related to human trafficking.
The court documents detail the alleged abuse, including one of Russel’s victims working from 7 a.m. to 2 a.m. to meet daily quotas, with many victims forced to hand over their earnings under threat of physical harm. One woman reported to police that Rule would punch her and later resorted to strangling her when he learned she bruised easily.
The search warrants revealed that one victim handed over all her money to Durant, who allegedly threatened physical abuse if she refused. When she managed to leave and inquired about the money he kept, Durant reportedly told her, “You pay to go to college, but if you don’t finish, you don’t get your money back.”
Durant is also accused of using victims’ Social Security numbers and IDs to open fraudulent loans, while the men allegedly tracked victims’ locations through the Life 360 app. Hopkins reportedly fired dancers from the club, then demanded thousands of dollars from them to get their jobs back.
One victim claimed Rule threatened to “get her fired,” then injured her ankle. She told police she had to make a “one-time payment” to On the Border to go back to work.
A fifth man is named in the search warrants but has not yet been arrested or charged.
Franklin police and city leaders declined to comment on camera Monday. The mayor of Franklin indicated in a statement to WISN 12 News that the city “may be reviewing licenses related to this establishment.”
On the Border remains open, and the owners said they are cooperating with the investigation. The four charged men are scheduled to appear in court on Dec. 29.
Please note: This story was provided to CNN Wire by an affiliate and does not contain original CNN reporting. This content carries a strict local market embargo. If you share the same market as the contributor of this article, you may not use it on any platform.