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ST. GEORGE — Two people who police say forced a runaway 15-year-old girl into prostitution were arrested late Tuesday in St. George.
John Paul Alcutt, 33, of Richmond, California, and Keilii Maxey, 25, of Palo Alto, California, were charged Wednesday in 5th District Court with aggravated exploitation of prostitution involving a child, a first-degree felony.
In addition, Alcutt was charged with exploiting prostitution, a third-degree felony; and having someone else's ID, a class A misdemeanor.
Maxey was also charged with six counts of aggravated assault, a third-degree felony; two counts of assault on a police officer, a class A misdemeanor; two counts of propelling a bodily substance, a class B misdemeanor; and two counts of propelling a bodily substance at an officer or health care provider, a class A misdemeanor.
According to a probable cause statement filed in 5th District Court, Alcutt brought both Maxey and the 15-year-old girl from California to Utah, where he would arrange for the women to engage in prostitution and then collect the money they received.
Just after 11 p.m. Tuesday, St. George police attempted to make contact with a woman suspected of prostitution in the parking lot of local motel.
"Through the course of the investigation, they discovered the prostitute was not participating voluntarily. The female was obviously young in appearance, and detectives learned she is 15 years old," according to a prepared statement from the St. George Police Department.
The girl was reportedly homeless and a runaway, and "was taken in by strangers and groomed to become a prostitute" several months ago, according to police. Police say she is from California but do not know how long ago she ran away.
Alcutt and Maxey would "often" deny the girl food "or the ability to move about freely" while supplying her with "large amounts of drugs," the police reported.
While talking to the girl, Maxey drove to the motel area. Police used their cars to attempt to block her in.
"Keilii locked her car doors and backed into the detective’s vehicle, enabling her to leave the parking lot. Keilii drove a loop around the motel and convenience store, after which she pulled into the Denny's parking lot on 1000 East," according to St. George police.
As Alcutt exited Denny's, he was taken into custody without incident. But as Maxey attempted to leave the parking lot, "she rammed the detective’s vehicle and used her car to push the detective’s vehicle out of her way. A detective was in the vehicle when it was struck and pushed," according to St. George police.
Other officers and a motorist who saw what was happening attempted to block her in.
"Keilii barricaded herself in the vehicle and would not exit when commanded to by the officers," according to police.
A negotiator was brought in to convince Maxey to leave the vehicle. But when she did, "she became very aggressive and violent while in custody and at the hospital while she was being evaluated prior to being booked into jail. Keilii assaulted officers and spit on medical staff and officers," according to police.
When she was interviewed by detectives, Maxey told them she had hit an officer in California with her vehicle to avoid being arrested there, according to court documents.
In 2014, Maxey was charged in Salt Lake City Justice Court with sexual solicitation and not having a sexually oriented business license, both class B misdemeanors. A bench warrant for her arrest has been outstanding since 2014 for failing to show up in court, according to court records.
St. George police called the case a "complicated situation." The Division of Child and Family Services was contacted, and police said other agencies may become involved as needed.
