Attorney General Pam Bondi, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Broward Sheriff’s Office, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement and Palm Beach County Human Trafficking Task Force today announced the arrest of Robert Atlee Miner V for human trafficking multiple victims. According to the investigation, Miner, 27, recruited and exploited young women since January 2015 through sex trafficking for personal profit.
“The defendant is charged with preying on women and, in some cases, using violence to force them into sex trafficking; all while depositing large amounts of cash into his bank account,” said Attorney General Bondi. “The facts of this case are appalling—that anyone is charged with forcing another human being into the sex trade.”
Miner allegedly recruited victims using online advertisements seeking to hire young women to work as dancers or companions. Victims then answered the ads seeking to be dancers, and Miner forced them with threats or physical harm to perform sex acts for money instead. In addition to using the Internet to recruit victims, Miner also used websites such as Backpage.com to advertise the women and services. At one point, Miner arranged for one of the victims to fly to and work in Las Vegas.
There is no record of Miner having any legitimate source of income, yet bank account records reveal Miner consistently making large cash deposits, totaling more than $225,000 since January 2015. Financial records also show, in multiple situations, that Miner paid for hotel rooms on the same night, but in different cities.
Miner faces multiple counts of human trafficking, deriving support from the proceeds of prostitution, money laundering and structuring transactions. Miner also faces charges for branding, armed sexual battery, unlawful use of a two-way device and renting a room for prostitution. If convicted, Miner faces up to life in prison. Assistant Statewide Prosecutor Danielle Dudai with Attorney General Bondi’s Office of Statewide Prosecution is prosecuting this case with the assistance of the State Attorney’s Office for the 15th Judicial Circuit.