US couple charged with drugging a teen with heroin, forcing her in to prostitution

Paul Thomas Owen, 26, was charged with sex trafficking and child abuse. Photo / Police handout

A Maryland couple were charged with injecting a 15-year-old girl with heroin and forcing her into prostitution.

The couple, Paul Thomas Owen, 26, of Greensboro and Darlene Louise Allen, 35, of Federalsburg, who were dating at the time of the alleged crimes, were indicted on with human trafficking and child abuse charges on April 4, according to a Caroline County police statement on the Caroline Circle.

The pair allegedly injected the teen with heroin several times, coerced her to perform sex acts with men at a Denton hotel in exchange for money and drugs and drove her to Delaware to perform a sex act in exchange for money.

Darlene Louise Allen, 35, was also charged along with Owen. Photo / Police handout

The acts took place while the trio were staying at the Best Western Hotel in Denton between December 17 and 20, 2016, the Daily Mail reports.

Allen was also engaging in prostitution and Owen was having sex with the underage girl, according to cops.

The pair are then alleged to have driven the girl to Delaware for her to have sex with an elderly man for money.

The couple, who may have been broken up by the time of the arrests, are charged with a slew of offences including benefiting financially from human trafficking, second-degree child abuse, reckless endangerment, contributing to a certain condition of a child that results in a violation, neglect of minor, third-degree sex offence, sexual solicitation of a minor, sex abuse of a minor, possessing drugs other than marijuana, possessing drug administration equipment and possessing drug paraphernalia.

Also arrested was Lori Lynn Griffith, 43, of Ridgely, who police say was involved and charged with neglect of a minor.

Owen and Allen are being held without bail. According to his Facebook page, Owen is a roofer who used to work at Food Lion.