Norman Mother Accused In Sex Slavery Scheme Involving Teen

In an undercover operation, police found a 14-year-old girl caught in the sex trade.

Two stand accused of participating in the sex slavery scheme.

LeShawn Russell, a convicted felon, is charged with human trafficking, rape, and computer crimes. He is being held in the Oklahoma County Jail on a $200,000 bond.

Lucille Burley, a Norman mother, with a relatively clean record is now charged with child neglect. At last check, she has not been arrested.

According to court records, Burley dropped the 14-year-old girl off at motels near I-40 and Meridian.

Burley denied having any knowledge the girl was engaging in prostitution.

"She had been selling weed in the city," Burley told investigators the teenager also transferred some of the alleged profits to her.

However, prosecutors believe Burley had at least some knowledge of the sex trade. Investigators say she contradicted herself in the interview and even admitted other people had warned her the teenager was "hoeing around."

Just five days ago, Oklahoma County's First Assistant District Attorney Scott Rowland opened up to News 9 about similar cases. Rowland said underage girls are often coerced into prostitution.

"Typically she's being forced or coerced to continue that by her pimp, upon her dependence on her pimp for money, by her dependence on her pimp for drugs," said Rowland.

A recent undercover operation gives more evidence to Rowland's findings.

In this case, records show officers contacted an online escort through Backpage.com.

When officers arrived to the motel, the 14-year -old girl negotiated sex in exchange for $160. An officer confronted the girl and she allegedly claimed the accused pimp, LeShawn Russell, was her boyfriend. Russell said the same and admitted they'd been in a sexual relationship.

The investigation found he posted the online ad, rented the room, and then staked out in the laundry room of the motel waiting to collect the profits from her prostitution.

At the time of Russell’s arrest, investigators say he had $557 in proceeds from prostitution.