Overview
On July 18, 2023, Cohen Milstein filed an amended complaint in a human sex trafficking civil lawsuit on behalf of a developmentally disabled minor against SCORES Holding Company, Inc. and its affiliates, including SCORES Tampa for materially aiding in and subjecting her to illegal human trafficking, commercial sexual exploitation, and sexual abuse.
Among other things, Doe claims that SCORES and its affiliates acted with negligence, recklessness, and willful ignorance of Doe’s true age and true identity and materially aided Roberto “Bobbie” Torres, III, an adult acquaintance of Doe’s, in manipulating her into signing a commercial agreement with SCORES, after which Doe was required to fulfill her contract as a sexually explicit dancer, and SCORES personnel encouraged her to consume alcohol and other illegally dispensed controlled substances, and encouraged to engage in prostitution and acts that would constitute sexual battery under Florida law.
Case Background
Originally filed on January 29, 2020, as detailed in the complaint, the plaintiff, a developmentally disabled and severely emotionally disabled teenager, was under the influence of an adult acquaintance, Roberto “Bobbie” Torres, III. It is alleged that Torres sought to indoctrinate her into an adult sexualized lifestyle by illegally exposing her to adult entertainment establishments and employment. Torres was later arrested and charged with human trafficking for commercial sexual exploitation and interference with the custody of a minor; he ultimately pled guilty to related crimes.
In September 2017, Torres took the plaintiff to different adult night clubs for employment, ultimately ending at SCORES Tampa. Despite the plaintiffs’ youthful demeanor, SCORES Tampa hired her as a sexually explicit dancer the same night of her arrival.
Prior to putting the plaintiff on stage, it is alleged that SCORES Tampa managers and its employee, Charles E. Mellick, prepared a standard form performer agreement that purported to hire the plaintiff to work as a topless sexually explicit dancer; however, the agreement:
- Was completed in the name of another woman whose driver’s license Torres had directed and induced the plaintiff to present as her own.
- Was largely completed by Mellick, who signed the form as having witnessed the “performer’s” signature, though the signature line for the “performer” remained blank.
- Called for a second form of identification, but no such second form of identification was ever obtained from the plaintiff.
The lawsuit explains that while illegally employed as a minor at SCORES Tampa from September 30, 2017, through the following week of October, the plaintiff regularly performed sexually explicit acts, including provocative dances while topless and with her buttocks fully exposed, on the club’s main stage as well as one-on-one sessions with individual men in private so-called “VIP rooms.” During those performances, she was repeatedly touched, groped, molested, and propositioned to engage in prostitution with explicit sex acts being proposed.
The plaintiff was also regularly provided access to and encouraged to consume illegally dispensed controlled substances, including prescription drugs and street drugs such as cocaine, as well as alcohol that she did consume to the point that she became fully intoxicated.
It is also alleged that the plaintiff was induced by a SCORES Tampa adult performer to engage in prostitution, including acts that would constitute sexual battery under Florida law that she was legally incapable of consenting to with those men because of her age and disabilities.
This case is named: Doe v. Scores, et al., Case No. 20-CA-000861 Div G, in the 13th Judicial Circuit, Hillsborough County, Florida