NORTH SCITUATE — An adult East Providence woman was the victim in a kidnapping/sex trafficking incident identified by the the Rhode Island State Police Wednesday, Feb. 11.
State Police arrested Niesha L. Bessell, 29, and Michael Gomes, 28, of 151 Narragansett St., Cranston, for alleged Kidnapping and Trafficking of Persons for Forced Labor or Commercial Sexual Activity.
At approximately 12:10 a.m. early Wednesday morning, Troopers Sean Crowley and James Gaffney from the Lincoln Woods Barracks conducted a motor vehicle stop on Potters Avenue in Providence for failure to properly display a front license plate.
Troopers subsequently identified the operator as Ms. Bessell and the front seat passenger as Mr. Gomes. A rear female passenger was identified as a 24-year old resident of East Providence.
As the troopers were conducting the motor vehicle stop, the rear passenger appeared to be shaking and would not make eye contact with the troopers. Upon further investigation, the female passenger was observed manipulating the keyboard on her cellular telephone and quickly turned it for one of the troopers to view. The message displayed on her cellular telephone read, “get me out the car.”
The female passenger was removed from the vehicle at which point she began shaking uncontrollably and crying. She disclosed that she had been kidnapped by force and had previously been forced into prostitution by Ms. Bessell and Mr. Gomes.
All occupants of the vehicle were subsequently transported to the Lincoln Woods Barracks where the investigation was turned over to members of the State Police Major Crimes Unit who continued the investigation and learned that in the early morning Wednesday, the female victim had been lured into meeting Ms. Bessell and Mr. Gomes in tEast Providence when they forcibly abducted her.
During the time of the abduction, the victim was able to briefly dial “911” with the use of her cell phone, but was unable to advise anyone of incident. Approximately 20 minutes later, troopers stopped the vehicle for the motor vehicle violation and learned of the incident.
Throughout the day Wednesday, detectives interviewed the victim and gathered additional evidence to learn that “over a year ago” she had escaped from Ms. Bessell and Mr. Gomes and was currently living in seclusion after having been forced to commit acts of prostitution.
Ms. Bessell and Mr. Gomes were scheduled to be arraigned at Wednesday evening at the Lincoln barracks on the charges of Kidnapping, Trafficking of Persons for Force Labor or Commercial Sexual Activity, Simple Assault, and two counts of Possession of a Weapon other than a Firearm (a knife over 3 inches).