A woman claiming to have been sex trafficked as a minor has filed a federal lawsuit, accusing staff members at two upscale California apartment complexes of ignoring and, in some cases, allegedly accepting money to overlook the trafficking activities occurring within their expensive premises.
The woman, referred to as A.V. in court documents, asserts that employees at Avalon at Mission Bay and South Beach Marina Apartments in San Francisco failed to act during the period she was allegedly trafficked. According to the lawsuit, these events took place between 2018 and 2019, starting when she was still a high school student under the age of 18.
The legal complaint describes how A.V. was allegedly trafficked by a man using the pseudonym “Tom Roe.” It claims he coerced her and other victims into performing commercial sex acts with clients inside the apartments where they lived. The document further alleges that Roe paid for these units in cash while the illicit activities persisted.
A.V.’s attorneys argue that Roe chose luxurious apartment complexes due to their upscale amenities, using them as the base of operations for the trafficking network. The suit claims these apartments were strategically selected to provide a veneer of respectability while customers were regularly brought to the locations.
Avalon at Mission Bay is one of the luxury apartment complexes mentioned in the federal lawsuit addressing allegations of sex trafficking and negligence. (Google Maps)
According to the lawsuit, Roe initially secured a one-bedroom apartment at South Beach Marina Apartments, paying approximately $7,500 monthly in cash. The complaint states that A.V. and other victims were later relocated to Avalon at Mission Bay, where the rent was about $10,000 a month, as Roe considered the property to be more opulent.
According to the complaint, apartment employees, including front-desk staff, security personnel and maintenance workers, observed circumstances that plaintiffs’ attorneys describe as indicators of sex trafficking. Those indicators allegedly included multiple unregistered tenants, including a minor, frequent visits from non-resident men and a lease held in the name of a person with no reported income.
The lawsuit further alleges that security cameras monitored entrances, side doors, gyms and common areas of the buildings, and that staff observed A.V. entering and exiting the properties with customers.
South Beach Marina Apartments, a luxury complex, is named in a federal lawsuit filed by a woman who says she was trafficked as a minor. (Google Maps)
Plaintiffs’ attorneys also allege maintenance workers entered the apartment units during the trafficking operation and witnessed commercial sex acts, drug use and cash exchanges, but that no action was taken.
According to the complaint, Roe allegedly kept A.V. compliant by providing drugs, including cocaine and Xanax, and by threatening violence if she failed to make enough money. The lawsuit also alleges Roe branded A.V. and other victims with tattoos as part of the trafficking operation.
Among the most serious allegations, the complaint claims Roe paid apartment employees in cash in exchange for their silence and that front-desk and security staff instructed victims to hide their faces when bringing customers into or out of the buildings.
A street sign hangs outside a new apartment building on Mission Street, Tuesday, June 2, 2015, in San Francisco. (Eric Risberg/AP Photo)
The lawsuit also alleges the apartment operators failed to properly train employees to recognize and report signs of sex trafficking and that the companies benefited financially through rent payments, service fees and continued use of the apartment units.
According to the complaint, A.V. was only able to escape the alleged trafficking operation after Roe was arrested by the FBI. The lawsuit does not specify when the arrest occurred or whether federal charges were filed.
A federal judge has granted A.V. permission to proceed under a pseudonym due to the sensitive nature of the allegations.
The lawsuit accuses the apartment operators of negligence and emotional distress and seeks to hold the companies accountable, as well as their owners, security teams and agents.
Fox News Digital reached out to AvalonBay Communities, South Beach Marina Apartments, the San Francisco Police Department, the FBI, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of California and attorneys representing the plaintiff for comment.
Stepheny Price covers crime, including missing persons, homicides and migrant crime. Send story tips to stepheny.price@fox.com.
