BANGOR — An Auburn man and a Lewiston woman were arrested at a Bangor hotel Wednesday on charges of aggravated sex trafficking. Police said the arrests were made as a result of an investigation into a missing 13-year-old Lisbon girl.
Alvin Houston, 27, of Auburn and Shawna Calhoun, 24, of Lewiston are accused of prostituting the girl through advertising pay-for-sex services via the free classifieds website backpage.com, according to documents filed Friday at the Penobscot Judicial Center.
Calhoun also was charged with violating the conditions of her release from a previous, unrelated arrest.
The arrests took place at the Ramada Inn on Odlin Road after Bangor police were asked to assist the Federal Bureau of Investigation with a missing person case involving a 13-year-old Lisbon girl who was allegedly soliciting prostitution on Backpage in Boston, Bangor and Portland, according to court documents.
The girl was with the pair when police conducted a New Year’s Eve sting at the hotel, investigators said. Information about the teen’s whereabouts was not immediately available Friday.
Both suspects made initial appearances via videoconference Friday at the Penobscot Judicial Center but neither entered pleas at that time.
Bail for Calhoun was set at $50,000, while Houston’s bail was set at $40,000 during Friday’s hearing, presided over by District Court Judge Bruce Jordan. Bail conditions for the two include no contact with their victim or anyone else under the age of 18, and no visits to the victim’s residence.
Houston and Calhoun both have criminal histories in the Lewiston-Auburn area. Houston’s record dates back to 2009 and includes charges of drug possession, theft, carrying a concealed weapon and domestic assault.
Calhoun has faced numerous drug-trafficking charges in the area.
The pair is next expected to appear in court on Feb. 10.
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