Children tortured and abused in sex trafficking ring in Alabama, police say

At least 10 children between the ages of 3 and 15 were held in an underground bunker in central Alabama and sexually exploited, tortured and trafficked, according to the local sheriff’s department.

Authorities have arrested seven individuals – including the parents and family members of the some of the victims – on several charges ranging from human trafficking, rape, sodomy, sexual torture and bestiality, Bibb County Sheriff Jody Wade said at a news conference Wednesday.

“We anticipate more arrests, and unfortunately, more victims,” Wade said, adding that both male and female children were among the victims, and that it appeared the abuse began in 2022.

Police said the alleged abuse took place at an underground bunker located in Brent, Alabama, a small city with a population of about 4,000 located about 40 miles south of Birmingham. Wade said he believed the bunker had been built as a storm shelter, and then “used for a horrible thing.”

Sometimes the children would be “tied to a pole” or “bound to a bed” in the bunker, Wade said, adding that “I understand that sometimes (the traffickers) could make up to $1,000 a night” by allowing people to abuse the children.

The 4th Judicial Circuit District Attorney’s Office announced earlier this week that multiple individuals were being prosecuted in the case: William Chase McElroy and Dalton Terrell, who are accused of multiple counts of rape, human trafficking and sodomy, and Andre Velasquez-Trejo, who is accused of six counts of human trafficking. All three men were arrested in April.

Wade announced Wednesday that four more individuals had been arrested.