Two people charged with child sex trafficking
GLASGOW, Ky. – After a two-month long investigation, the Barren County Sheriff’s Office charged two Glasgow people with child sex trafficking.
Micah A. Manthe 37, and Danielle C. Cordes, 38, were charged after indictment warrants were issued through a Barren County grand jury. The warrants were served Saturday, according to a release from the Barren County Sheriff’s Office.
Manthe is charged with first-degree sexual abuse, first-degree sodomy, human trafficking for commercial sex activity victim under 18 years old and six counts of possession or viewing matter portraying a sexual performance by a minor, according to the release.
Cordes is charged with complicity to six counts of possession or viewing matter portraying a sexual performance by a minor and one count of human trafficking for commercial sex activity victim under 18 years old.
The investigation began in February when the Kentucky Department of Community Based Services called the sheriff’s office about a child less than 13 years old who disclosed that Manthe sent her images of his genitalia and looked in at her in the shower while she was bathing, according to his February arrest citation on a sexual abuse charge now part of the grand jury indictment.
During an interview with investigators at that time he corroborated the statements made by the child, according to his arrest citation.
Cordes told investigators in early March that she knew Manthe had in his possession imagery portraying child sexual abuse, according to her arrest citation from March. She also told investigators that she found and deleted images on Manthe’s phone.
Both are lodged in the Barren County Detention Center. Bond for both are set at $50,000.
Representatives from Phoenix Rising, a local organization that helps victims of human trafficking, said there are signs to look for.
Oftentimes, victims have branding marks such as tattoos or burn marks identifying who they belong to on their necks or pelvic region and often display signs of being controlled.
Sometimes they won’t be allowed to speak on their own as well.
