A Florida man allegedly?trapped three women in his home and used them as sex slaves and allowing other men to use the women for money. He is also accused of videotaping himself sexually assaulting?them — at least one such video was?posted online.
Timothy Deegan, a 53-year-old accountant, owns a large home in Gainesville?? complete with a fountain and outdoor statues ? where police found traps, weapons, and running cameras. He met his victims on an escort website in December, and soon began acting as a pimp, driving them to “customer”?homes and collecting their money. He tracked their activity via GPS, and kept them under constant threat of bodily harm.
One of the women contacted the authorities after finding a video of Deegan sexually assaulting?her while she was passed out on sleeping medication. The two other women also report that he would force them to have sex with him while he streamed the act?online.
While at home, Deegan kept the women locked in the house and monitored them via video surveillance. He threatened them with guns to prevent them from leaving. The women claim that Deegan showed them letters from previous victims, so it’s unclear how many women he’s held captive and abused.
One neighbor was suspicious of Deegan, and feared that his daughter may be in danger. He spoke to the Gainesville Sun about his concerns:
“About three weeks ago, a car followed my daughter as she walked through the neighborhood, then the car pulled over to his house. When I heard human trafficking, he could have been looking for my daughter. One night a truck drove up and dropped this girl off in the driveway. She was in a fetal position, moaning. Girls were screaming over there. Some of them would be outside on the phone, and they would be cursing.”
So far, Deegan has been charged with three counts of human trafficking.
You can watch a video about the arrest below. Let us know your thoughts at the Liberal America Facebook page.
Nina Kate is a progressive journalist living in Los Angeles, CA. She’s passionate about human and animal rights, as well as preserving the environment. Visit her blog at LadyFreethinker.com.
edited by tw
