Woman pleads guilty to sex trafficking

OAKLAND PARK, Fla., Sept. 8 (UPI) -- An operator of a brothel pleaded guilty to sex trafficking charges in Florida district court.

Laschell "Shelly" Harris, 37, rented the house in Oakland Park, Fla., called the Boom Boom Room, where she and boyfriend James "Red" Mozie ran a brothel offering food, alcohol, drugs and sex with women and underage girls, the South Florida Sun Sentinel reported.

Harris pleaded guilty Wednesday to a single count of sex trafficking. Federal prosecutors dropped four other sex trafficking charges against the former medical assistant and mother of three.

Some of the girls working in the house described Harris as a house mother who would cook for them, court records show. Records also show she collected money from the girls and women, sold food and alcohol to customers and occasionally watched Mozie have sex with them as part of "orientation."

Police staged an early morning raid on the Boom Boom Room May 14 and found 12 men, 2 women and 2 underage girls in the house while pornography played on large-screen televisions.

Harris and Mozie, along with doorman Willie David Rice, were arrested for running the operation.

Rice pleaded guilty to illegal gun possession last month.

Harris, who is scheduled to be sentenced Nov. 16, now faces a minimum of 10 years in prison.

Mozie is still fighting charges in the case.