COLUMBUS, Ohio — As a grand jury returns an indictment against a man accused of human trafficking, a mother is pleading for justice for her daughter.
A Franklin County grand jury returned a 19-count indictment against Paul Chiles, 36, also known as "Tommy Gunz". Franklin County Prosecutor Ron O'Brien alleges between January 2019 and June 2020, Chiles forced six victims into human trafficking. O'Brien said Chiles "primarily targeted and recruited females to work for him that were vulnerable and homeless and he controlled the women through threats, physical abuse, and by keeping them drug dependent.”
Cecilia Riegel, 21, died in April after the indictment said Chiles provided fentanyl that led to her overdose.
"There are too many young girls out there being victimized by these sick guys. They use them like they are playthings. My daughter was just a meal ticket," said Angelina Riegel, Cecilia Riegel's mother. "If they put him in jail for a long time, then there will be justice."
Riegel's mother said she knew her daughter battled addiction and had been in and out of rehab but the two hadn't spoken since January. She hopes her daughter's story will bring to light the importance of recognizing the signs of human trafficking and helping victims get the resources they need.
"It's too late for my daughter, but there has to be something done for the other young girls out there that are hopeless ... they just fall through the cracks," Riegel said.
Chiles is scheduled to be arraigned Sept. 4.
To learn about the warning signs of human trafficking and how to report it, click here.