A prostitution and human trafficking sweep during the NBA All-Star weekend resulted in 14 arrests on charges of solicitation, pandering and drug and weapons charges in Jefferson and Orleans parishes.Last Thursday, the Greater New Orleans Human Trafficking Task Force made eight arrests for prostitution and one for pandering.The following night, the task force made three prostitution arrests, one for pandering, and one for drug and weapons charges.
Arrests were made at a motel in the 5700 block of Airline Drive in Metairie. An undercover officer was solicited sex for money by a female escort, later identified as Shana Chancellor, found in a Back Page ad. Investigators also found a small amount of marijuana. During the operation, a man, later identified as Justin Williams, was seen standing on the second floor balcony near the room. As investigators approaching the room, the man tried to flee the scene in a red Dodge SUV .The vehicle was stopped and searched. In Williams’ possession, police found 53 doses of Ecstasy, 1.2 grams of cocaine, and 27.4 grams of marijuana. All of the drugs were found on Williams and packed for sale.During the search of Williams vehicle, investigators also seized two handguns, a Rugar .380 caliber semi-automatic and a Beretta .40 caliber semi-automatic.
The Beretta was reported stolen from the Jackson Police Department in Jackson, Mississippi in 2015. Williams’criminal record includes felony arrests for burglary and distribution of narcotics, with a prior conviction of a felon in possession of a firearm. During questioning, Shana Chancellor was uncooperative and refused to acknowledge Justin Williams as her pimp. The Greater New Orleans Human Trafficking Task Force is funded by a federal grant through the Bureau of Justice Assistant The service provider for this grant is the New Orleans Covenant House.