Grand jury indicts two for trafficking juveniles in Glenwood Springs

A woman charged with trafficking and prostituting minors in Glenwood Springs was transferred to the Garfield County Jail on Tuesday.

A Colorado grand jury indictment alleges Damara Hester, 25, and Dasjuan Goode, 30, transported two juveniles in July 2017 to the Plaza Inn on Sixth Street in Glenwood Springs and exploited the children sexually for money. The hotel has changed ownership since the alleged crimes, and is now a LaQuinta Inn and Suites.

Hester is charged with 10 felony counts, including trafficking a minor for sexual servitude and procurement of a child, keeping a place of child prostitution and contributing to the delinquency of a minor. Goode was charged on eight counts.

Between July 12 and July 27 of last year, Goode and Hester allegedly transported the two juveniles, at least one of whom was female, from Aurora to Glenwood Springs, according to the grand jury indictment handed down Oct. 22.

The indictment alleges that Hester and Goode made the juveniles commercially available for sex by posting ads online, and provided hotel rooms for prostitution.

On at least one occasion, the grand jury alleges, Hester and/or Goode “drove at least one of the juveniles to a sex buyer’s home to perform acts of prostitution.”

Hester also performed sex acts for money at the hotel rooms in Glenwood Springs, according to the indictment.

Ronald Braden, 53, is subsequently charged with soliciting sex from one of the juveniles, as well as from Hester, at the hotel during the time frame of the alleged crimes, and for paying for sex.

Hester was arrested in Denver and booked at the Denver Detention Center on Oct. 23, according to the Denver Sheriff’s Department. It was not immediately clear where Goode and Braden were arrested. All three defendants are scheduled for court appearances in Garfield County’s 9th District in November.

Jeff Cheney, 9th District attorney, was not immediately available for comment.

tphippen@postindependent.com