LAKE COUNTY >> After a preliminary hearing, a Clearlake man is expected to answer to charges of human trafficking for prostitution early next month.
According to Lake County District Attorney Don Anderson, who is prosecuting the case, 38-year-old Nicholas Troy Brooks is set to appear in court on April 3. In addition to human trafficking, Brooks faces charges of pimping, procuring a person for prostitution, inflicting traumatic injury on a person, threats to kill or produce great bodily injury and solicitation of perjury.
In a prepared statement, Anderson said that Brooks was prostituting his girlfriend for profit.
“It is alleged that Brooks would receive almost all of the proceeds of the transactions and in return, his girlfriend would receive small amounts of money and drugs for her work,” Anderson said.
He added that to get the girlfriend to comply with his orders, he would threaten, coerce, menace and force her into prostitution. Evidence presented showed that Brooks had allegedly beaten the victim with a cell phone and flashlight on at least two occasions.
While held in the Lake County jail, Brooks reportedly forced the girlfriend to bring him money and place it on his books at the jail or phone cards. It is estimated that she put at least $3,500 on his books within a several-month period.
During the preliminary hearing, additional information showed that on one occasion a customer got physical with the girlfriend and did not pay her the agreed on amount. Investigators say Brooks had then set up this person at the next meeting with the girlfriend and ended up firing several rounds into his truck while he was fleeing.
This matter is still under investigation by the District Attorney’s Office, Anderson said.
“The District Attorney’s Office takes crimes such as human trafficking extremely serious,” he added. “We will make every effort to protect women and children from the exploitation of their traffickers.”
