'Worst type of case': Panama City Beach police charge Alabama man with human trafficking

Nathan Cobb, Panama City News Herald
Updated ·2 min read
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PANAMA CITY BEACH − A Dothan, Alabama, man was arrested this week on charges of human trafficking after police say he held a woman against her will a forced her into the sex trade to pay off a debt.

In a news conference on Wednesday, Chief J.R. Talamantez of the Panama City Beach Police Department said Chad Seymore, 47, was charged with human trafficking, kidnapping and sexual battery.

Chief JR Talamantez of the Panama City Beach Police Department announced on Wednesday the arrest of Chad Seymore, a Dothan, Alabama, resident, who was charged with human trafficking, kidnapping and sexual battery.
Chief JR Talamantez of the Panama City Beach Police Department announced on Wednesday the arrest of Chad Seymore, a Dothan, Alabama, resident, who was charged with human trafficking, kidnapping and sexual battery.

"This individual utilized manipulation, threats (and) a bunch of criminal activity to convince a victim to act in some of the most horrendous types of situations," Talamantez said. "This is the worst type of case − when one human manipulates another human to be forced into the sex trade."

The Beach Police received a call late Tuesday morning for a trespass at Baymont by Wyndham, 11004 Front Beach Road. Officers arrived to find a woman hiding in the front office of the hotel.

According to a news release, the woman told officers she was brought to Panama City Beach by Seymore to pay off her bail money. She said that during the drive to PCB, Seymore told her that he now "owns" her, and that she now had to perform sexual acts for him. She said he "threatened to kill her if she did not comply."

"The victim disclosed she was forced to take nude pictures, which were placed on social media platforms," the release reads. "It was later determined (she) was also being held against her will and not given any food or a cell phone."

Arrest warrants were issued for Seymore on Wednesday, and he was arrested later that day in Dothan, Alabama.

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Talamantez noted that January is human trafficking awareness month.

"This month is very, very important to help bring awareness to one of the worst crimes out there, (and) the case we just closed represents that," Talamantez said. "You can best bet that we're going to hold him accountable for these horrible, horrible crimes."

This article originally appeared on The News Herald: Alabama man charged in Panama City Beach human trafficking case