A Westminster woman could soon face federal charges for forcing a 17-year-old relative into prostitution, her attorney said.
Deborah Gail Frock, 38, sold her cousin as far away as Massachusetts for drugs and money during the past year, police say. Frock was arrested in November by state police and has several charges pending against her, including drug distribution, pandering and second-degree assault.
Because she arranged for the girl to have sex in other states, federal prosecutors may intervene and bring charges, said Bradley Bauhof, Frock?s attorney.
“The state I think is motivated to try it,” Bauhof said. “But from what I?m hearing, because it involves an interstate crime, it could be picked up by the feds.”
Federal prosecutors experience a higher rate of success than state prosecutors, and suspects face more stringent punishments.
Frock set up a sex trip for the girl to Massachusetts with a trucker in September 2006. In return, Frock received crack cocaine and $140, according to court documents.
The victim went to police in the spring and explained what was happening.
“It went from a missing person to drugs to child pornography to you name it — it?s all there,” said Trooper Todd Liddick. “And pretty much everything the victim has said has been corroborated.”
Her bail was set at $100,000 Wednesday by Carroll County Circuit Court Judge Michael Galloway, but Bauhof said she would be out of jail within days.
As part of the conditions of her bail, Frock was ordered on home detention and can only be visited by family members, Bauhof said.
He said it was a fair bail.
“Having no bail would have been pretty unreasonable,” he said.
Frock is to be in Circuit Court today for arraignment on her pandering charge.
