Man Jailed for Trying to Sell 4-Year-Old Boy at a Gas Station
Overheard asking 'customers' for $2,500 for the young child
© press
A man has been jailed on human trafficking charges after he tried to sell his girlfriend’s son at a Kentucky gas station convenience store, according to reports.
Harry Day, 29, pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor trafficking charge at an arraignment and was sentenced to one year in jail, WYMT reported, citing court records.
Day allegedly tried to sell the 4-year-old boy, described as African American by police, Kentucky State Police said.
He was arrested on Aug. 16 after a witness overheard him at a Corbin Speedy Mart talking with two different “customers” about selling the child to them for $2,500.
The witness called 911 and gave a vehicle description and license plate number to the dispatcher, with police later locating the car outside the home of Day’s girlfriend and the boy’s mother, 26-year-old Gertrude Henson, Fox News reported.
The boy was found safe inside the home, authorities said.
© press
Day and Henson told police they had consumed methamphetamine earlier that day, NTD reported.
Officers also found methamphetamine and drug paraphernalia at the home, jail records show.
According to jail records, Henson has been charged with two counts of endangering the welfare of a minor.
She was also hit with possession of a controlled substance first-degree, among several other drugs charges.
Henson is currently held at the Knox County Detention Center on a $5,000 bond.
© press
Day appeared in court for his arraignment and pleaded guilty to the promoting human trafficking charge, reported Times-Tribune of Corbin.
A judge sentenced him to 360 days in jail.
As part of the plea agreement, the DUI charges against Day was dropped.
Online arrest records indicate that the 29-year-old has been in trouble with the law before for methamphetamine possession.
Kentucky saw at least 136 cases of human trafficking in 2019, according to the National Human Trafficking Hotline, which keeps hold of total reported cases in each state.
Since December 2007, over 300,000 human trafficking cases have been reported across the United States.
Anyone who suspects human trafficking can call local authorities or the National Human Trafficking Hotline at (888) 373-7888.
