Six people have been taken into custody in a human trafficking and kidnapping investigation, according to the Gulfport Police Department.
The arrests were made between January 22 and February 4.
- Michael Eric Moses, 40, one count of kidnapping
- Bobby Terrell Mills, 49, one count of human trafficking, one count of kidnapping, one count of extortion, and one count of forcible rape
- Richard Sherrol Weir, 60, one count of human trafficking
- Marcus Alan Mann, 35, one count of human trafficking and one count of kidnapping
- Jeffrey Devon Pruitt, 41, one count of human trafficking
- Latasha Ann Smith, 27, one count of human trafficking
The investigation began after officers responded to a call of a runaway child, according to authorities. On January 22, the juvenile was discovered safe.
According to officials, Moses was keeping the juvenile in a hotel room against her legal guardian’s wishes.
The adolescent was held against her will from December 2025 to January 2026 and forced to perform sexual acts for Mills, according to officials. According to police, Mills threatened to report the juvenile as a runaway if she refused to cooperate.
The juvenile escaped through a window.
Mills was detained and told officers that two people transported the juvenile to him and offered to sell her for roughly $30 and drugs, according to police reports.
According to detectives, Mann and Weir assisted the juvenile’s transfer and sale.
According to officials, Pruitt and Smith brought the juvenile to many hotels throughout the Gulf Coast and in New Orleans with the intent of engaging in sexual acts for compensation.
Anyone with information on the crime can call the Gulfport Police Department at 228-868-5959 or Mississippi Coast Crime Stoppers at 877-787-5898.
The bond for Mills was set at $1,600,000. Mann’s bond was set at $750,000. The bond for Moses, Weir, Pruitt, and Smith was set at $250,000 apiece.
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