The Broward Sheriff’s Office has successfully apprehended two individuals in their ongoing efforts to crack down on human trafficking. This multi-day initiative has proven to be effective in combating this heinous crime.
The operation was named “Operation Suite 16” by BSO as a part of the larger nationwide initiative known as the Coast to Coast Operation.
Deavion McClendon was arrested in Dania Beach on August 22. According to BSO spokesperson Miranda Grossman, law enforcement apprehended the 21-year-old while he was escorting a trafficking victim to a hotel.
After realizing that detectives were pursuing him, he quickly jumped back into his car and tried to escape. In his attempt to flee, he ended up hitting several patrol vehicles before finally being apprehended. It was later discovered that he had an active felony warrant for auto theft at the time of his arrest as well.
McClendon is facing several charges, including aggravated battery on law enforcement and fleeing and eluding. While detectives have suspicions of his involvement in human trafficking, he has not been officially charged with any trafficking-related offenses, as stated in Broward County court records.
Deavion McClendon was taken into custody as a result of “Operation 16,” a law enforcement operation aimed at combating human trafficking in Broward County.
McClendon is currently being held in Broward County’s Main Jail, with a bond set at $15,000.
Taylor is confronted with multiple charges, which encompass sex and labor trafficking, human trafficking of a minor, and aggravated manslaughter in connection with the overdose of a 16-year-old girl in 2019.
Investigators have not disclosed the specific details that led them to connect Taylor to the mentioned crimes. The Broward Sheriff’s Office has stated that they are unable to provide any additional information at this stage as the investigation is ongoing.
After serving a five-year sentence for unrelated crimes, he is currently in federal custody. Following the completion of his federal sentence, he will be transferred to Broward County to face the new charges.
Taylor was sentenced at the federal level because of his involvement in the “Felony Lane Gang” fraud scheme that was operational between 2019 and 2020. Alongside his accomplices, Taylor traveled across the country, specifically targeting women in public areas, where they would break into cars. Their objective was to steal debit cards, credit cards, checkbooks, and IDs, which they would then use to carry out bank fraud. This information was provided by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of New York.
Taylor has confessed to stealing an amount ranging from $40,000 to $95,000 as part of the conspiracy. He pleaded guilty and is currently serving his sentence at FCI Coleman Medium in Florida. According to the Federal Bureau of Prisons inmate search, his release date is set for December 31, 2024.
According to BSO, they have multiple leads on other suspects and expect to make more arrests and file additional charges in the coming days.