A secretive message resulted in the safe recovery of a 13-year-old girl, believed by authorities to have been held against her will at a motel in Tampa, Florida.
According to the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office, 911 operators received a call on Saturday, May 31, from the victim’s sibling. The sister reported receiving a voice message indicating her younger sister was in danger at the A1 Motel in Tampa.
Deputies quickly arrived at the scene and encountered one suspect, Marlon Alfaro-Alvarez, 28, attempting to flee through a bathroom window. He was apprehended alongside Floyd Amaya Garvin, 25, who was alleged to have been in the motel room with the young girl.
Investigators learned the suspects and victim had been communicating over social media before they picked her up “under false pretenses” and brought her to the motel, according to the sheriff’s office.
The 13-year-old repeatedly asked to go home, but detectives said the suspects prevented her from leaving. The suspects then offered the child money in exchange for sex, authorities said.
At some point, and without the suspects knowing, the girl was able to record a voice message asking for help and send it to her sister. According to authorities, the girl’s sister instantly called 911 after receiving the message.
The two suspects are now facing several charges.
Alfaro-Alvarez has been charged with the following offenses:
- Human Trafficking for Commercial Sexual Activity (Victim Under 18)
- Lewd and Lascivious Molestation
- Lewd and Lascivious Exhibition
- False Imprisonment
- Contributing to the Delinquency or Dependency of a Minor
- Resisting an Officer Without Violence
Amaya Garvin has been charged with:
- Human Trafficking for Commercial Sexual Activity (Victim Less Than 18)
- Contribute to Delinquency or Dependency of Child
- False Imprisonment (on Child)
“This child was lured, isolated, and targeted by adults who made the deliberate choice to exploit her. Their actions were not impulsive — they were predatory and calculated,” said Sheriff Chad Chronister. “Thanks to the bravery of this young victim and the swift response of our deputies, we stopped these men before they could cause even more harm. Let this be a clear message: in Hillsborough County, we don’t turn a blind eye to those who prey on children — we turn the full force of the law against them.”
