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Prosecutor says head of sex trafficking ring took advantage of young girls

Posted at 11:21 PM, Mar 17, 2017
and last updated 2017-03-18 00:53:15-04

HENRICO COUNTY, Va. -- Henrico prosecutors said Duval Shabad Dubose headed up a sex trafficking ring for months inside two motels on West Broad Street.

Deputy Commonwealth's Attorney Michael Feinmel said Dubose and another man pimped out two juveniles to feed a life of drugs and partying.

"The pimp is doing nothing, doing drugs, going out to clubs, partying taking advantage of these women who are doing all the work," Feinmel said.

Feinmel said the other man, Henry Edward Awan, learned the ropes of the business from Dubose.

Duvall Shabad Dubose

CBS 6 Crime Insider Jon Burnett talked to Awan in jail earlier this week after police arrested him on sex trafficking and prostitution charges.

Awan said he served as a pimp for his 17-year-old girlfriend so the couple could pay rent at a motel.

"We are homeless. I mean really homeless. We've stayed in a hotel a long time and we were trying to get money so my son doesn't have to live out in the cold," Awan said.

Feinmel said the pimps advertised the girls on backpage.com and a number of adult men had sex with them.

Henry Edward Awan

Feinmel said police charged the girls with residing in a bawdy place, but he said in these types of cases the focus is always on getting the trafficking victims help instead of sending them to jail.

"They are under the control of criminals, they're taught to distrust the police, they're taught to distrust the government," Feinmel said. "For that reason, it's difficult to convince these folks to give up the life they're comfortable with, the life that they know, and really get the help they need. Sometimes they need that motivation, and the court system can provide that motivation."

It is a felony to have sex with an underage girl so the investigation is ongoing as investigators try to track down the men who paid for sex.

Dubose declined a CBS 6 request for an interview.

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