Former Ferguson activist charged in Maryland with prostitution, sex trafficking

Charles Wade, a fashion stylist turned consultant, was charged April 25 with four counts of prostitution and three counts of human trafficking.

Wade, 33, is using social media to dispute the charges.

An undercover officer responded to an advertisement on a website often used for sex trafficking, and set up a meeting at a Howard Johnson Inn in College Park, Md., according to police. After he identified himself to a girl, 17, who met him, she told him Wade was her “manager,” according to the charging documents.

In a statement posted to Wade’s Twitter account, he says he was asked to temporarily house the girl, whom he believed to be 20. He redeemed his hotel reward points to get her a room. A few hours later, she was arrested.

“As the person who booked, paid for, checked in with government issued identification, I was also arrested as I was walking to store on about a half dozen charges related to her activities and arrest,” Wade said in his statement.

He posted his $25,000 bail two days after his arrest.

“This situation in no way should reflect on the movement or anyone else in the movement other than myself,” Wade said. “Ultimately, I had the final decision on moving forward with housing her and putting my name on the line. And ultimately, the embarrassment now caused and whatever consequences there may be are solely mine.”

Wade runs Operation Help or Hush, an organization created during the Ferguson protests focused on building an infrastructure of support for protests to continue, including raising money to feed and temporarily house protesters.