Philly sex trafficking ring targeted women dealing with drug addiction, AG says

Officials announced several arrests in connection to a Philadelphia-based human trafficking ring in which young women who were dealing with drug addiction were targeted, exploited and repeatedly raped, investigators said.

Terrance Jones, 52, led the operation in which he recruited drivers who escorted the women to “dates” with sex buyers, Pennsylvania Attorney General Michelle Henry revealed during a Tuesday afternoon press conference. Investigators said at least 25 people were involved in Jones’ trafficking ring, including his own daughter.

"As all human traffickers do, he dehumanized these young women and used them as a commodity to further his trafficking enterprise," Henry said.

Resources for victims of sexual assault are available through the National Sexual Violence Resources Center and the National Sexual Assault Telephone Hotline at 800-656-4673.

Victim speaks with police

The investigation began in June 2021 after a Pennsylvania State Police trooper was contacted by an informant who said they were aware of a young woman who recently left a substance abuse sober home in South Philadelphia and was possibly the victim of sexual exploitation and human trafficking. State troopers then found the woman at a Philadelphia motel and returned her to the sober home at her request. Investigators said the woman was both physically and mentally impaired at the time after using drugs over the course of multiple days.

The woman told investigators that while she was at the sober home, she searched on the internet and found the phone number for an escort service. After calling the number, she spoke to someone who sounded like a woman and referred to themselves as “Julie” or “Julia.” The victim said “Julia” asked her to describe herself and send pictures. “Julia” then told the victim that a driver would pick her up and take her to various locations to go on “dates” with sex buyers in exchange for money.

After the victim told “Julia” she was in a recovery house, “Julia” told her that the sex buyers would provide her with drugs. The victim was told to give her driver $125 for each “date.” “Julia” also told the victim she would be able to collect $200 to $250 from each sex buyer for each hour. “Julia” told the victim that the sex buyers would call an “agency” and “Julia” would then provide the victim with the buyer’s phone number. “Julia” also told the victim to call the buyer from the driver’s phone which had a blocked number.

The victim told investigators she went on multiple “dates” during a period of several days in which she worked for “Julia” and the “agency.” The victim also told investigators that the driver who took her on dates was named “Tommy.” Investigators later identified the driver as 54-year-old Thomas Reilly who they described as the second in command in the sex trafficking organization.

Reilly allegedly took the victim on at least four “dates” before taking her back to his home where he raped her, telling the woman that he “needed something in return” since he was allowing her to stay at his house, investigators said. Reilly also allegedly sold the victim Xanax and marijuana. The victim told investigators she felt “trapped” at Reilly’s home and did not feel free to leave.

The investigation

The victim’s statements led to a largescale investigation from Pennsylvania State Police. They discovered that “Julie” was actually Terrance Jones, who operated the sex trafficking organization from his home on the 800 block of Disston Street in Philadelphia, according to investigators.

Jones presented himself as “Julie” or “Julia” while speaking with potential female victims and only a handful of people knew his true identity, investigators said. Jones had allegedly operated the sex trafficking ring since at least 2012.

Jones advertised numerous telephone numbers online for potential buyers to call to schedule sex with prostitutes at locations throughout Philadelphia, the surrounding suburbs and New Jersey, investigators said. The numbers were associated with several names, including “Girlfriends,” “Girlfriends G.F.E.” and “GFE Girlfriends” with “G.F.E.” standing for “Girlfriend Experience,” investigators said.

"Jones recruited and exploited over a dozen young women for his sex trafficking organization at locations throughout Philadelphia, its suburbs and South Jersey," Henry said.

After being vetted, the buyers provided a phone number to Jones who then directed one of the women to contact the buyer to arrange a time, location and price, according to investigators. Most of the prostituted women were then taken to the locations by drivers, including Reilly, James Rudolph, Joseph Franklin and Rhaheem Hill, investigators said. Several of the women who had worked for Jones for a significant amount of time were also allowed to drive themselves to the dates, investigators said. While most of the money from each date was given to the drivers and Jones, some of the money was also given to the women depending on the relationship they had with Jones, investigators said. Jones allegedly received the money through cash drop offs and electronic transfers.

Jones’ adult daughter, Natoria Jones, knowingly helped her father’s organization by handling many of the electronic payments sent from the prostituted women and the drivers, officials said.

Prior to the coronavirus pandemic, Jones had sex with prostituted women as part of his “interview process,” according to investigators. While pretending to be “Julie,” Jones told his victims that she was going to the home of a long-time client who had already paid for their “date” electronically, officials said. One of the drivers would then drive the woman to Jones’ home. After the “date” was over, Jones – while pretending to be “Julie” – would then call the victim and ask her how it went, according to investigators. Jones stopped having sex with the victims during the pandemic, officials said.

Investigators said nearly all of the prostituted women suffered from various degrees of substance abuse which Jones knowingly exploited. From Jan. 20, 2023, through Feb. 10, 2023, Jones’ organization arranged 83 “dates” involving 42 sex buyers and 15 different prostitutes, officials said.

The arrest of Terrance Jones

Jones was arrested on Friday, Oct. 18, 2024. He is charged with felony counts of trafficking in individuals, corrupt organizations, criminal conspiracy, involuntary servitude, aggravated assault and other related offenses.

Jones' bail was set at $2 million. Court documents showing his legal representation was not immediately available online.

In addition to Jones, Reilly, Rudolph, Franklin, Hill and Natoria Jones, police also arrested 16 sex buyers or “Johns” in connection to the trafficking ring, according to Henry.

“The demand for commercial sex drives and motivates predators like Terrance Jones to exploit women’s bodies for their own greed,” Henry said. “People who are willing to pay other people – and let’s say what it is more often than not – men paying other men to use the bodies of young women, vulnerable women and girls for their own benefit, is what leads to the crime of human trafficking. We have made it a point to charge the buyers in this case, because to end human trafficking, we must reduce the demand. One way to do that is to deter potential buyers from engaging in this unlawful activity.”

Anyone who may have been victimized by Jones or any sex trafficking organization, can contact the Pennsylvania State Police hotline at 215-452-5239. They can also contact the National Human Trafficking Hotline at 1-888-373-7888.