Federal sex trafficking suits name two Hinesville hotels

HINESVILLE, Ga. (WTOC) - According to documents obtained by WTOC, two Hinesville hotels, the Baymont by Wyndham and Motel 6 Hinesville, have been named in connection to two federal sex trafficking suits.

B.S. v. Jay Shree Maa Durga Inc. d/b/a Baymont by Wyndham Hinesville

According to the United States District Court for the Southern District of Georgia Savannah Division, a civil action case filed on November 7, 2024 has named Jay Shree Maa Durga Inc. as a Defendant in a sex trafficking suit.

This suit is against the company that owns the hotel, filed on behalf of a woman who claims she was sexually assaulted and sold to be a sex slave back in 2015, when she was only 16 years old.

The civil suit said Jay Shree Maa Durga Inc. has owned and managed the Baymont by Wyndham Hinesville hotel located at 733 Veterans Parkway, Hinesville, Georgia since 2009.

Attorneys said Jay Shree Maa Durga Inc. owned the hotel back in June 2015, when a 16-year-old referred to as B.S. was repeatedly sex-trafficked by two men known as “Big Head” and “T” while at the Baymont hotel.

The suit alleges that the 16-year-old initially met the two men at a Walmart in 2015. She left the store with the pair and smoked marijuana with them. Case documents say that the marijuana was believed to be laced with another drug that left the teenager unconscious. When she woke up the 16-year-old was inside of a hotel room handcuffed to the bed. She was then allegedly forced to use drugs that put her in unconscious states and was repeatedly sexually assaulted by various “Johns” while at the Baymont hotel.

Case filings report that the traffickers used a portion of the money made from the commercial sex acts to book hotel lodgings for the next night. They also allegedly paid for the use of the Defendants WIFI network which they would use to post advertisements for the 16-year-old to perform sexual acts. Cleaning staff were not allowed in the room where the teenager was kept, instead the traffickers or the 16-year-old, under direction, would ask the Baymont Staff for towels and sheets multiple times a day.

As the suit claims, hotel staff were not allowed into the room, but given evidence, like constant dirty sheets and towels with “excessive bodily fluid and blood on them” found in the rooms, along with large numbers of condoms, and daily rented rooms by the same trafficker, frequently paid in cash, attorneys say the hotel’s owner should have known something was wrong.

Staff said they observed that the teenager was malnourished, had bruising and cuts, lacked freedom of movement, wore very high heels and revealing cheaply made dresses, and had very specific housekeeping requests as mentioned above. Hotel staff also said they observed a constant stream of male visitor’s entering the room at one time and only staying a short amount of time.

Case filings said the venture impacted interstate commerce for multiple reasons including, the sale and use of condoms, purchase and use of cleaning supplies from out of state, use of credit cards and internet to post online ads for commercial sex acts and more reasons that must be proven at trial.

The civil action case alleges that the Defendant “knowingly benefited” from the trafficking and says through a direct and proximate result of the Defendants acts and omissions caused the victim substantial physical, emotional, and psychological harm.

J.S. v. Kishanvb Kishanvb Hospitality, LLC d/b/a Motel 6 Hinesville

Another civil action case filed October 23, 2024 named Kishanvb Hospitality, LLC as a Defendant in the case.

Attorneys said Kishanvb Hospitality, LLC owned and managed the Motel 6 in Hinesville located at 213 General Screven Way, Hinesville from August 2020 through April 2021 when the victim, an 18 to 19-year-old girl referred to as J.S., was repeatedly sex trafficked at the Motel 6 by Shaquan Graham.

The report alleges that back in 2019, J.S. met Graham through mutual friends when she was 17-years-old and still attending high school. A year later, the two reconnected and Graham told J.S. she “would be his girlfriend”. During that time, Graham learned that she had run away from home and offered to help her, Graham then told her she would be working as a prostitute and that he was her pimp.

According to case filing, Graham imprisoned, beat, and forced the J.S. to use drugs which caused her to fear for her life. During this time Graham himself raped the victim, she was also reportedly sexually assaulted hundreds of times while at the Motel 6 by various “Johns.” He used a portion of the proceeds from the commercial sex acts to book the next night’s lodgings. He also paid for the hotel’s WIFI to post advertisements for the victim to perform sex acts.

Case filings said that Graham would not let the staff clean the room where the victim was performing commercial sex acts, instead he or the victim, under direction, would ask for towels and sheets multiple times a day.

Motel 6 staff said they observed that the victim was malnourished, had bruising and cuts, lacked freedom of movement, wore very high heels and revealing cheaply made dresses, and had very specific housekeeping requests as mentioned above.

Staff said they observed victims and traffickers being steered to certain parts of the property and only given in rooms to what is referred to as the “prostitution wing.” These observed signs are listed in the filings as the Defendant helping to hide the trafficking from the police and others who may report it, therefore furthering the venture.

Case filings said the venture impacted interstate commerce for multiple reasons including, the sale and use of condoms, purchase and use of cleaning supplies from out of state, use of credit cards and internet to post online ads for commercial sex acts and more reasons that must be proven at trial.

The civil action case alleges that the Defendant “knowingly benefited” from the trafficking and says through a direct and proximate result of their acts and omissions caused the victim substantial physical, emotional, and psychological harm.

In both suits, the Plaintiff’s request actual damages and amounts to be shown at trial, to be awarded allowable damages, attorneys' fees, and case expenses. They are also requesting punitive and treble damages be imposed upon each Defendant.

WTOC is in the process of speaking with both hotels, as well as, law enforcement and will provide updates as they become available.

If you or someone you may know is being trafficked, you can call the National Human Trafficking hotline toll free at (888) 373-7888. To report a suspected human tracking in Georgia you can call the 24-Hour Human Trafficking Hotline at (866) 363-4842. You can also click here for more information on how to get help for victims of human trafficking.