KTVB
November 9, 2013
Two Boise residents face a long list felony charges after police say they forced at least a dozen local women into prostitution.
Boise Police detectives arrested 44-year-old Derrick W. Hicklen and 28-year-old Gypsie Akers on felony warrants earlier this week.
FORCED PROSTITUTION
According to police, Hicklen and Akers coerced and persuaded more than a dozen local women into multiple incidents of prostitution, which included holding women in hotels where they were forced to perform sexual acts for money.
Akers is accused of taking the money the victims earned. Hicklen is also accused of performing several sexual acts upon women without their consent, in some cases after drugging them so they could not object. Police say Hicklen photographed the crimes.
MORE VICTIMS
Investigators say there may be more potential victims that have not yet been identified.
“We believe the women involved were victimized in every sense. It’s taken courage for them to speak with officers,” said Sgt. Mark Barnett of the Boise Police Violent Crimes Unit. “And we’re still searching for what we believe are more victims.”