Man indicted for child sex trafficking after arrest in ‘The Blade,’ a Phoenix area known for prostitution

PHOENIX — An Arizona man has been indicted for child sex trafficking and other offenses, authorities announced Tuesday.

Dennis Mitchell Jr. was arrested in November at a Phoenix motel in an area known for prostitution, according to the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office (MCAO).

Authorities learned of his alleged crimes after 14-year-old girl told police she had been staying with Mitchell in a room they used for prostitution. She also said that he hit her, MCAO said.

According to prosecutors, authorities rescued the teen girl along with an adult woman Mitchell allegedly victimized while she was staying with him.

Arizona man indicted on charges other than child sex trafficking

Mitchell has been indicted on one count each of child sex trafficking, aggravated assault, pandering and receiving earnings of a prostitute, according to MCAO.

The arrest took place in an area known as “The Blade,” a stretch along 27th Avenue between Indian School Road and Northern Avenue.

It’s notorious as being a major hub for human and drug trafficking, prostitution and other crimes, which has led to community efforts to restore public safety.

One such initiative is led by Grand Canyon University, which has invested $170 million into redeveloping the area over the past decade. Earlier this year, GCU opened a new public safety center, which provides real-time intelligence tools to help both police officers and security guards patrolling on and near the campus.

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