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A Rockbridge County man was arrested by Virginia State Police last week on several charges, including human trafficking and prostitution.
Earl Wayne Smith, 67, was taken into custody on Feb. 10 and charged with one felony count of human trafficking and several misdemeanors: three counts of owning or residing in a bawdy place, one count of prostitution and one count of transportation to aid in prostitution. In Virginia, human trafficking is a class four felony and carries a sentence of two to 10 years. The other charges are class 1 misdemeanors, which carry a sentence of up to 12 months and/or a $2,500 fine.
The arrest came after a lengthy investigation, which led the Virginia State Police into an extensive operation of human trafficking in the Roanoke Valley and Rockbridge County communities, the state police said in a statement last week. The statement went on to say that evidence of the charges – along with narcotics and firearms – was seized from several locations controlled
, page 2 by Smith, including his residence.
Between Jan. 31 and Feb. 7, the Virginia State Police received 67 new tips on human trafficking cases and have investigated or are currently investigating 179 cases. They have also identified and offered services to 60 victims. According to data from the National Human Trafficking Hotline, nearly 2,000 human trafficking cases were identified within the commonwealth between 2007 and 2023.
The investigation is ongoing and state police ask that anyone who has information related to Smith or the activities he is charged with contact the Virginia State Police Bureau of Criminal Investigation in Salem at (540) 375-9500.
A hearing to appoint an attorney for Smith was held in Rockbridge County General District Court on Friday. A preliminary hearing on the charges is scheduled for April 28.
