Philly man accused of human trafficking
NORRISTOWN >> A Philadelphia man was arrested by Montgomery County authorities on allegations that he was operating a farreaching human trafficking ring throughout Montgomery and surrounding counties.
Bruce “Cash” Steele, 44, of the 7900 block of Henry Avenue, is charged with 34 felonies including trafficking of individuals, prostitution, involuntary servitude and other offenses, according to Montgomery County District Attorney Kevin R. Steele.
The Montgomery County Detectives Bureau has been investigating Bruce Steele for two years, according to the criminal complaint. The bureau was assisted by the FBI, state police, as well
as local police from Lower Pottsgrove, Upper Moreland, Upper Merion, Horsham, Tinicum and East Whiteland. The district attorney’s offices in Philadelphia, Chester and Delaware counties also assisted in the investigation.
“The defendant has recruited, entices, solicited, harbored, transported, maintained and provided individual women who are subject to involuntary, sexual servitude,” the complaint said.
Detectives allege that Bruce Steele preyed upon women who were vulnerable due to substance abuse and threatened to harm or kill them if they rebelled against him. Once victim told police she moved in with Steele after she was released from Montgomery County Correctional Facility, and that Steele took her social security card and provided her with a supply of cocaine to keep her from leaving. The woman, who according to the criminal complaint is 27 years old, said that Bruce Steele kept a short leash on the women living with him.
“The defendant had rules in the house,” the complaint said. “She said that the women were not allowed
to leave the house while he was working overnight. She stated that the defendant had surveillance cameras inside and outside his residence.”
Those women were given locations and prices for sex acts that they were ordered to perform for money. The woman told police that when another woman did not bring home the specified amount of money, Bruce Steele “screamed at her and did not provide her with heroin as punishment,” the complaint said.
Another victim told police that when she and Bruce Steele were robbed by a customer, police arrested her on an outstanding warrant and Steele had to post bail. Afterward, Steele raped her as punishment, she told police.
Other victims told police that Bruce Steele had beaten, threatened and raped the women in his sex trade business. One victim was beaten so badly “she couldn’t work for a week until the bruises on her face healed,” the complaint said.
“He would always say I was free to leave but when I would say that I wanted to, he would threaten me. On one occasion, he actually said that if you ever leave,
‘bitch, I’ll kill you,’” one victim told police.
Based on information from the victims, police began to conduct surveillance on Bruce Steele, observing him driving victims to Rite-Aid I the Andorra Shopping Center to buy gift cards, which they used to pay for hotel rooms. According to the complaint, detectives also tracked Steele as he drove the women to these hotels. The complaint lists seven different victims that Bruce Steele allegedly forced into prostitution using drugs, threats and physical and sexual abuse to keep them under this thumb. A spokeswoman for the district attorney’s office said that detectives believe there are more victims to be found. The office has requested that any other victims, or anyone with information on Steele’s activities call detectives at 610-278-3368. Bruce Steele was arraigned Aug. 12 before Magisterial District Judge James Gallagher, according to a press release. Bail was set at $1 million cash, and unable to post, Steele is currently being held in Montgomery County Correctional Facility. The case will be prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Sophia Polites.
A preliminary hearing is set for Aug. 25, 10 a.m., before District Judge Harry Nesbitt.