A convicted sex trafficker who skipped prison years ago was just found in Myrtle Beach
A man who skipped prison after admitting to pimping out a teen in Maryland five years ago was found with drugs in Myrtle Beach this week, according to court records.
Myrtle Beach police charged Charles Huften with two counts of drug possession on Sunday.
An undercover officer saw Huften smoking marijuana, according to an arrest warrant. Myrtle Beach police arrested and searched him and say they found a dozen MDMA pills.
MDMA is also known as ecstasy.
Huften lists a 6th Avenue North address on his Myrtle Beach police court paperwork. He was booked into J. Reuben Long Detention Center on Monday.
But, federal officials say he is the same man who skipped reporting to prison five years ago after pleading guilty to sex trafficking.
In August 2014, Huften - whose last name is spelled Hufton on federal court paperwork - pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit sex trafficking of a minor.
Officials say Huften, who worked at a Maryland nightclub, and another man recruited girls to engage in prostitution, according to a press release at the time of his plea. The two men offered a 19-year-old a commission to recruit a 16-year-old to engage in prostitution.
Huften posted online ads for prostitution, according to federal officials. Huften also drove the girls to locations and collected a part of their earnings.
A federal judge sentenced him to 30 months in prison, but allowed Huften to report to prison on his own.
The court issued several extensions to when Huften had to report to prison, with the last deadline being April 19, 2016, according to court paperwork. He did not report to prison and lawyers could not locate him.
An arrest warrant was issued and remained active until he was found in Myrtle Beach. He has a hearing scheduled for later this week in Florence federal court.
This story was originally published June 4, 2020 at 9:59 AM.
