Trafficking suspect in Scottsdale arrested after neighbor noticed something was 'off,' police say
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. - A neighbor who felt something was "off" was able to help a woman who was being trafficked by a man in Scottsdale, the police department said.
The suspect, Steven Hurry, was reportedly arguing with the woman outside a home when the neighbor noticed something was "off" between the two.
Police were called to investigate, and the woman told officers she was being trafficked by Hurry.
"I saw a bunch of police cars a couple of weeks ago. I don't know if it had to do with the same thing. A couple of rows, houses down and they were there for several hours and I had no idea what it was," a neighbor said. "You never think it would be happening right next door, a neighbor or Airbnb, or anything going on this close to you."
Hurry was arrested and booked into jail on suspicion of sex trafficking, pandering, sexual abuse, aggravated assault, assault, criminal damage and disorderly conduct.
Details on the alleged abuse
Court documents submitted by the Scottsdale Police Department say Hurry and the victim lived together since May 2022 in California after she began as a housekeeper.
On May 25, Hurry reportedly asked her to come with him to Arizona to make money.
They first stayed in Tucson. That's where police say Hurry convinced the victim to let him take photos of her for an ad he was going to create to offer her to others for sex acts.
"She described making $700 the first time for sexual intercourse in 20 minutes with an unknown male subject, and the defendant took the entire $700. After this, the defendant collected the victim's birth certificate, social security card and other forms of ID and credentials and secured them in a box," the report read.
The victim never had access to the box.
While in Tucson, police say the victim was forced to have sex with men for money and if she was short on money or didn't place the money in the location Hurry wanted, he would beat her.
In late November 2022, Hurry and the victim moved to Scottsdale, staying at the Roadway Inn.
"The defendant created and posted ads containing the victim's photographs and advertising sex in the exchange of money, which included $350 per hour for full sex or a quick visit, 15 minutes, for $120," police alleged.
They also say Hurry recorded the sexual encounters and put them on a hard drive. This would happen about four to six times a week.
Hurry and the woman then moved into an Airbnb in Scottsdale.
On Dec. 26, Hurry was reportedly having car troubles and wanted to use the money the victim was receiving to pay to fix it, but she told him she "couldn't take anymore," didn't want to continue and wanted to leave.
She didn't count the money she got from a "customer" that day and Hurry got mad and confronted her in the kitchen. Hurry was screaming at her, and the victim yelled back – catching the attention of a neighbor who called 911.
In between the yelling and when officers got there, Hurry reportedly grabbed the woman and pushed her against the refrigerator and lifted her up. She said she couldn't breathe but never lost consciousness.
She had to perform a sex act to get him to stop.
Officers arrived just after Hurry left to go fix his car. He was found not far from the Airbnb and reportedly admitted to officers an argument happened, but denied the abuse and didn't want to answer questions about sex trafficking.
Suspect arrested
A nurse documented signs of physical abuse on the victim. That's when Hurry was arrested, and his cell phone was seized.
The victim told officers Hurry had raped her on Christmas Day. She said she wanted to leave him, but that he had control of all her documents and money.
Police say text exchanges between the victim and Hurry were about setting up "dates" with men for money, and included the date, time, sex act and the amount of money she needed to collect.
"A written document laying out the details between master and slave was located in the defendant's computer bag. The document was not signed but the victim later advised she sent him a contact via email because she had her location services turned off on her cell phone and he became extremely angry," police said. "Also in the computer bag was a copy of the victim's marriage license. She had no idea how he had the information or got the document."
As for the recordings of the sexual encounters that Hurry reportedly kept a record of, they were found on a USB at the Airbnb. She says she never consented to being recorded.
"The state is requesting the defendant be held on a $150,000 bond. The defendant inflicted physical, mental harm and forced the victim to engage in sex acts for monetary gain," police said.
The Scottsdale Police Department says you can use the following resources to report suspected criminal activity, including trafficking:
- Emergencies: 911
- Non-emergencies in Scottsdale: 480-312-5000
- Online tips for Scottsdale criminal activity
- Arizona's tip line: 877-4AZ-TIPS
- National tip line: 888-373-7888
- humantraffickinghotline.org