A 33-year-old Seattle man was in Kitap County Superior Court Sept. 3 arrested on five charges, including human trafficking, for which he faces life in prison and $50,000 in fines.

Other charges were second-degree assault (10 years, $20,000 fine); unlawful possession of a firearm (10 and $20K); possession of a stolen firearm (10 and $20K); and resisting arrest (90 days in jail and a $1,000 fine).

Court records show Bremerton police responded Aug. 28 at 12:15 p.m. to an inn on 4th Street. A woman said she had been a victim of sex trafficking by her boyfriend. She said she had arrived from Dallas and stood up for herself for the first time.

He started calling her names and demanding money from her Bremerton “appointments.” He said it wasn’t enough and grabbed her by the throat. He hit her with a closed fist. He told her stories of pistol-whipping women who did not turn over money from their “tricks.”

She said the suspect talked her into prostitution as a way for them to reach their “dream life,” making $100,000, getting married, having kids and buying a house together. She said the suspect would “treat her like a princess” at first, but over time became abusive. He took control of her life by “managing” her possessions, social media, bank accounts and personal identification.

She would either drive or be driven to a city with a high amount of interest in prostitution and go to a house, hotel or Airbnb. He would give her money for a plane ticket if it was out of state. She estimated she had given him $25,000 in the previous four months.

She fears if she leaves him she would have no money to live on. She recognized that the suspect would “constantly use the fact she loved him against her to manipulate and pressure her to keep working in prostitution.” She had asked how much he had saved toward their “dream,” and he would get mad and accuse her of not trusting him.

The victim was “grateful for the arrest” but also “visibly upset and scared about the consequences.” The suspect was invited into the interview room and their discussion “cemented” in her mind that he didn’t really care for her. She realized he only cares about the money.

She turned over 180 pieces of evidence. Kitsap County SWAT helped catch the suspect at the inn. He attempted to flee but was tackled. He had almost $1,000 cash, suspected cannabis and a stolen handgun.