PANAMA CITY -- Two Illinois men were arrested Friday during a joint investigation conducted by the Panama City Police Department, Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE), and FBI.
The men were arrested after the website BackPage.com contacted the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC) and notified them of a photograph of an underage girl posted on their site. The NCMEC contacted law enforcement. The men and 16-year-old female were located at a hotel near U.S. 231 and 23rd Street. The child was taken into protective custody and turned over to the Florida Department of Children & Families.
The men were arrested on multiple charges. Dashawn A. Taylor, 19, Onarga, Illinois, was charged with procuring a minor for prostitution and contributing to the delinquency of a minor. Kevin Dante Finley, 27, Urbana, Illinois, was charged with being a fugitive from justice, human trafficking, forcing/compelling or coercing another to become a prostitute, deriving support from the proceeds of prostitution, unlawful sexual activity with a minor, contributing to the delinquency of a minor and procuring a minor for prostitution.
Additional charges are forthcoming and additional defendants are expected to be identified and charged as the investigation continues. Anyone with information about this case is urged to contact Panama City Police Department Detective Perkins, at 872-3112.