King County prosecutors have charged a 29-year-old Seattle man with promoting sexual abuse of a minor for allegedly running a prostitution ring out of Tukwila motel.
In addition to the pimping charge, Jamaal J. Bomber also faces federal drug charges for investigation of selling crack cocaine. He stayed for a couple of months at the Knight’s Inn motel, 14110 Tukwila International Boulevard, according to charging papers filed June 28 in King County Superior Court.
Bomber is in custody of the U.S. Marshal’s Office at the Federal Detention Center in SeaTac in connection with the drug charges.
Once the federal case is resolved, federal officials will transfer Bomber to King County for prosecution of the promoting sexual abuse of a minor charge, said Ian Goodhew, spokesman for the King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office.
The Knight’s Inn is one of five motels along a stretch of commercial properties that the Tukwila City Council voted earlier this year for the city to use condemnation, if necessary, to buy up to seven, crime-infested properties along Tukwila International Boulevard. City officials continue to look into the purchases of those properties.
On March 6, Seattle Police and Tukwila Police were investigating a missing 16-year-old Renton girl who they believed to be in the company of her boyfriend, an acquaintance of Bomber’s. Tukwila Police found the missing girl March 13 in her boyfriend’s room at the Knight’s Inn.
Detectives learned from the girl’s boyfriend that Bomber allegedly ran a prostitution ring out of his motel room, pimping upward of eight or nine females, including three or four juveniles.
Bomber would transport the females daily to various locations along Pacific Highway in Seattle, Tukwila and SeaTac, according to charging papers.
Tukwila Police arrested two women March 26 on prostitution charges that helped lead them to Bomber and his use of juveniles as prostitutes along Tukwila International Boulevard. Police also connected escort ads on backpage.com with Bomber’s room at the Knight’s Inn.
Federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF) undercover officers, who were investigating Bomber’s brother for illegal gun sales, eventually set up with Bomber to host a party at the Extended Stay hotel in Tukwila that would feature five or six prostitutes. On June 14, four females arrived at the hotel room and all four offered sex for money to undercover agents.
A short time later that day, police arrested Bomber in his room at the Knight’s Inn. They found him with a 16-year-old who he reportedly had been attempting to persuade to join the other four females sent as prostitutes to the Extended Stay hotel.
“There is evidence that the defendant prostituted or attempted to prostitute four other girls during the period of this investigation,” wrote Valiant L. Richey, senior deputy prosecuting attorney, in charging documents.
Bomber has a lengthy criminal history that includes convictions for numerous drug charges as well as motor vehicle theft, assault and malicious mischief.
