Attorneys Announce Federal Lawsuit Against National Hotel Chain In Connection to Major Sex Trafficking Ring

March 12, 2026

 

Houston, TX – Attorneys representing a woman who was sex trafficked for nearly a year when she was just 17-years-old today announced a federal lawsuit against the national hotel chain Wyndham Hotels and Resorts and multiple others who, the attorneys say, were integral in sex trafficking and abuse this victim and countless others suffered.

 

The plaintiff, identified as Jane Doe in the lawsuit, is represented by nationally renowned civil rights attorney Harry Daniels, L. Chris Stewart and Daedrea Fenwick of Stewart Miller Simmons Trial Attorneys as well as Sachin Varghese and Tiana Mykkeltvedt Bondurant, Mixson & Elmore LLP

 

Houston has long been known as one of the largest sex trafficking hubs in the United States and the one-mile stretch of Bisonnet Street, known as the ‘Blade’ or ‘Track,’ as well as the FM 1960 corridor are notorious for prostitution and where sex trafficking victims are forced to work.

 

According to the lawsuit, Jane Doe was one of those victims often beaten and forced to engage in sex acts more than 10 times per day. The lawsuit goes on to detail how the hotels, including Budget Inn, Palace Inn, Days Inn, Camelot Inn and Hotel Royale, not only knew this abuse was happening in their hotels and did nothing to stop it, but were actually instrumental and enjoyed a significant revenue stream as a result.

 

The complaint alleges that the presence of sex trafficking and measures to prevent it have been known in the hotel industry for decades and the hotel defendants named in the lawsuit knew or should have known about the risks of trafficking at their establishments.

 

Houston became the first major American city to pass an anti-trafficking ordinance and in 2020 passed an ordinance requiring hotel and motel staff to receive human trafficking training. The ordinance requires that hotels train all operators, managers and employees on recognizing and reporting signs of sex trafficking.

 

“This young woman and countless others were trapped in a nightmare and these hotels let it happen because they cared more about their profits than protecting these women or even following the law,” said Daniels. “They’re the ones propping up these sex traffickers and it’s time we held them accountable.”

 

Click HERE for a copy of the lawsuit.