Laurel man charged with human trafficking of teenage girls

COLUMBIA, Md. (AP) -- A Laurel man has been accused of being a pimp for two teenage girls.

Howard County police said in a news release Tuesday that 46-year-old Arthur Coleman was arrested after an investigation into online prostitution ads that featured a 13-year-old girl.

Authorities say an undercover detective posed as a young girl interested in being a prostitute and arranged to meet the 13-year-old and a man in Columbia. Police say Coleman was arrested after he arrived with the 13- and 15-year-old girls.

Authorities say they found condoms, cash and multiple cellphones in his car.

Investigators believe Coleman has rented hotel rooms for the prostitution of young girls and driven them to locations in Maryland, Washington and Virginia.

Coleman faces multiple trafficking and prostitution charges. It's unclear whether he has an attorney.