Charles Wade, BLM Activist: Sting, Trafficking Charges, Denial

Former Black Lives Matter activist Charles Wade was arrested on April 25, 2016, at a Howard Johnson Inn in College Park, Maryland, after an undercover sting, and later faced seven criminal charges, including felony human trafficking and prostitution involving a 17-year-old girl.¹²

The Sting Operation in College Park

Prince George’s County police began the operation after an undercover detective answered an online ad posted on Backpage.com. The ad offered sexual services from a woman described as 23 years old and included the line, “Quick stay specials tonight and tomorrow.”²

The officer arranged a meeting at the motel and offered $100 for a half-hour. When he arrived at the room, the person inside was not a 23-year-old woman but a 17-year-old girl. After the detective identified himself, the teen tried to run and was stopped by an arrest team positioned nearby.³

Investigators said they found papers bearing Wade’s name inside the room. Police alleged that Wade, then 33, had booked, signed for, and paid for the room, and that he was watching from nearby as the undercover officer went in.³

What the Teen Told Investigators

The 17-year-old identified Wade as her “manager” and referred to him by the name “CJ.” She told police she turned over all of the money she earned from her “dates” to him.¹ She also said Wade knew she was underage, telling investigators he had said, “You only have 5 months left until you’re 18 so I’m not worried.”²

Charges, Bail, and Court Record

Wade was charged with seven counts, including felony human trafficking and prostitution. Together the charges carried a maximum penalty of 25 years in prison and a $15,000 fine.² He posted $25,000 bail on April 27, 2016, two days after the arrest. Maryland court records listed the matter under Case ID 5E00542813, with a hearing set for June 3, 2016.¹

Wade’s Denial

Wade denied the allegations in public statements and on social media. He said on Twitter that online “trolls” had targeted him and that the arrest came out of a misunderstanding. By his account, the young woman had told him she was 20, and he had booked the room and provided his ID only because she had lost hers. He said he was giving her temporary housing while she waited on an insurance death benefit check.¹⁴

Wade also described the charges as an effort to “stop my work and the work of my organization.”⁵ His version conflicted with what police said and with the account attributed to the 17-year-old, who called him her manager and said he kept her earnings.

Who Charles Wade Was Before the Arrest

Wade had been a visible figure in the protest movements that followed the deaths of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri, and Eric Garner in New York City. The Washington Post profiled him as one of the activists on the ground during the August 2014 Ferguson protests, and he went on to assist demonstrators in both Ferguson and Baltimore.⁶

He co-founded Operation Help or Hush, a nonprofit that provided temporary housing for displaced individuals and helped coordinate protests and social movements.⁵ Before becoming a full-time activist, he worked as a fashion stylist.

1
NY Daily News. Black Lives Matter Activist Forced Teen Into Prostitution, Cops Say
2
Fox 4 KC. Black Lives Matter Organizer Charged With Human Trafficking and Prostitution
3
Daily Mail. Ferguson Activist Charles Wade Charged With Prostitution of 17-Year-Old Girl
4
Fox 2 Now. Ferguson Activist Charged With Human Trafficking and Prostitution
5
The Root. Prominent Black Lives Matter Activist Arrested for Pimping 17-Year-Old Girl
6
Washington Post. Ferguson Activist Accused of Prostituting a 17-Year-Old Girl