Woman allegedly forced into prostitution

LAS VEGAS, Feb. 10 (UPI) -- A Canadian woman, in the United States on bereavement leave from her job, allegedly was forced into prostitution in Las Vegas, court records said.

Charles A. Ford, 49, who allegedly assaulted the woman and forced her to work three nights for him in the Las Vegas area, faces multiple felony charges in a Clark County court, the Las Vegas Sun reported Wednesday.

Ford is charged with seven counts of sexual assault, one count of pandering and one count of living from the earnings of a prostitute.

He is being held in lieu of $140,000 bond, and his arraignment is set for Feb. 22, the newspaper reported.

The woman, who testified she drove down the West Coast to Los Angeles in late December after the death of her adult daughter, traveled to Las Vegas with a prostitute she met and decided to try to help. She was introduced to Ford.

Ford eventually asked to see her driver's license, wrote down the information, told the woman she would be working for him, and said her remaining two adult children would "bear the consequences" if she refused.

"I was petrified," the woman said.

After allegedly being sexually assaulted by Ford multiple times, working as a prostitute and handing over the money to Ford, the woman finally approached a taxi driver whom she mistook for a police officer, officials said. The driver contacted the police.