Brooklyn Center Super 8 also named in federal sex trafficking lawsuit

BROOKLYN PARK, Minn. (FOX 9) - The Brooklyn Center Super 8 Hotel, located on James Circle, at the center of Wednesday’s large-scale sex trafficking raid is also at the center of a federal lawsuit that alleges commercial sex was happening at the location more than a decade ago.

The civil complaint

What we know:

A woman is suing the previous owners and operators of the Brooklyn Center Super 8, saying she was sex trafficked there in 2013 when she was just 15 years old. According to the lawsuit, her traffickers would keep her at the hotel for days at a time, where she was typically forced to see between seven and 20 men each day.

Warning signs allegedly ignored: The lawsuit says hotel staff saw widely-taught signs of sex trafficking but didn't do anything to stop it. The complaint says the 15-year-old victim showed visible bruising from beatings, and was being forced to wear provocative clothing in common areas.

"When housekeeping provided services, there would often be blood on the towels or linens," the civil complaint first filed in 2023 says.

The woman says she was eventually able to escape by secretly using her trafficker’s laptop to send a message for help, and two of her traffickers were arrested shortly after. She's now suing the Super 8’s previous owner/operators and the franchise for damages, and the case is still being argued in federal court.

FOX 9 reached out to the attorneys for the hotel's previous operators for comment but did not hear back in time for this report. In court filings, the operators deny knowing about or profiting from the trafficking.

The raid and what comes next

How the investigation started:

Brooklyn Center police raided the Super 8 on James Circle on Wednesday, with prostitution, sex trafficking, illegal drugs and firearms all part of the focus. Brooklyn Center Police Chief Garett Flesland said the investigation started a year ago. "I've been a cop for 26 years. I've never been a part of an investigation. This complex, this large," said Flesland.

Staff involvement unclear:

When asked whether current hotel staff are being investigated, Flesland wouldn't confirm it but didn't rule it out either. "No stone is going to be left unturned. I'm not going to get preconceived any kind of final outcome here, but it's being looked at," said Flesland. Brooklyn Center police did confirm that no hotel staff were arrested at the scene during Wednesday's raid.