APD: 2 women forced into prostitution

AUSTIN (KXAN) - Austin police have arrested and charged Chris Edward Dancer, 34, with compelling prostitution, a first-degree felony, and with aggravated promotion of prostitution, a third-degree felony. The crime involved two unnamed women, ages 17 and 24.

Tuesday, Austin Police Department responded to a call of a disturbance at the Ramada Inn, located at 9121 N. Interstate Highway 35.

The 24-year-old woman told police she was in a hotel room with her friend and he made her get out of the hotel room. The woman pointed out Dancer to the officer, who was walking toward a pickup truck with the 17-year-old woman.

The 24-year-old told AP that Dancer had forced her and the younger woman to work as prostitutes. She said she had known Dancer for about two weeks. They both knew Dancer also by the name of "AK," according to the affidavit.

The older woman told police that she met Dancer in Killeen near a women's center where she had been staying. He allegedly told her he could help her get home to Las Vegas, but instead, Dancer brought her to Austin, where he said he had arranged a "date" for her. The woman was confused at first, she told police, but then realized Dancer wanted her to prostitute for him. She told police she turned a "trick" for him and was paid $150. This led to her traveling with Dancer and the 17-year-old to San Antonion, Austin and Killeen, and that she had to turn over all of the money she was paid for doing "tricks" in the two-week period to Dancer.

Police interviewed the 17-year-old, and she provided similar details as the 24-year-old had. She also told police that if she didn't talk to the clients the way Dancer wanted her to, he would hit and push her.

The affidavit explains that both women were mentally intimidated by Dancer in the way that he controlled him. He allegedly would not give them food to eat unless they turned tricks first.

Dancer's bond was set at $65,000 for each of the two charges.