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Andrea Beck, Richard Spain charged with human trafficking

Two people are charged with trafficking a woman who worked as a prostitute at Minot hotels between May and June of 2017.

Andrea Beck, 37, and Richard Hugh Spain, 46, are each charged with Class A felony human trafficking in district court in Minot. Beck was scheduled to make an initial appearance on Wednesday before Judge Stacy Louser. There is a warrant for Spain’s arrest.

Court records show a Morristown, Tenn., address for Beck. No address is listed for Spain.

According to the probable cause affidavit filed with the court, the alleged victim, who was born in 1977, told authorities that she used to buy methamphetamine and marijuana from Beck when she was living in Omaha, Neb. Beck agreed to pay for a bus ticket for the alleged victim from Omaha to Fargo, where she intended to look for work as a waitress. Beck and Spain picked the woman up at the bus station in Fargo. The woman stayed with Beck and Spain at a hotel in Fargo. About two weeks later, Beck told the woman that she would have to prostitute herself to pay for her share of the hotel bill and for the methamphetamine she used.

Beck allegedly arranged for the woman’s “dates” by placing ads and taking phone calls. The woman told authorities she had between three and five “dates” with men per day and charged between $120 and to $220 for each encounter, depending on how long the visit was. She gave all of the thousands of dollars she made to Beck and Spain. The “dates” took place in Fargo, Minot, Williston, and Tioga. In Minot, the woman had encounters at the Dakota Inn, Candlewood Suites, Holiday Inn Riverside and the Grand Hotel. Beck rented the hotel rooms.

The woman said she was afraid of Spain, who had threatened her, made fun of her appearance of of her child, who has autism.

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