Senior Hopkins High School Cheerleader Charged with Prostituting 16-Year-Old Cheerleader

(Editor Becky Glander wrote the original version of this story.)

An 18-year-old Maple Grove woman, a senior on the Hopkins cheerleading team, is accused of trafficking a 16-year-old Hopkins High School cheerleader by placing an ad on Backpage.com and convincing her to prostitute herself.

Montia Marie Parker has been charged with two felonies: sex trafficking in the second degree and solicitation, inducement and promotion of prostitution.

Hopkins Public Schools released the following statement:

"Although these events did not occur on school grounds, these charges are very serious. When we learned of them, we acted immediately to ensure the safety of all Hopkins High School students. In responding to this incident, we followed our discipline and safety policy, which includes permanently removing a student from campus. Whether an incident occurs on our campus or not, student safety is always our top priority."

On March 11, FBI Special Agent received information regarding prostitution-related activities involving several female students at Hopkins High School.

Victim A is a 16-year-old sophomore at Hopkins High School and on the cheerleading team. The victim's mother told police that she is on an Individual Education Plan at school and works with a social worker due to a developmental cognitive delay.

On Friday, March 1, police say Victim A was talking to several friends and cheerleading teammates about trying to make some money. One of her friends mentioned that she could make some money by giving men oral sex. She told police she thought it was a joke, but they talked about it anyway.

On Sunday, March 3, Victim A allegedly received a Facebook message from Parker, who she knew was a senior on the cheerleading team. Parker obtained her phone number and texted her asking if she wanted to make some money, according to court documents.

Prosecutors accuse Parker of arranging for Victim A to leave school, including pretending to be the girl's mother calling the office to excuse her from school. They say Parker then drove the girl to the men's homes.

Victim A received $60 and gave the money to Parker, according to police, who deposited the cash into her bank account. She allegedly gave none of the proceeds to Victim A.

Victim A's mother told police that she had noticed changes in her daughter and found out about the unexcused absence from school on March 5. She checked her daughter's cell phone and found text messages about prostitution between her daughter and Parker. She called police. 

Officers found the ad on Backpage.com that they say Parker posted for Victim A. The phone number in the ad was Parker's.

If convicted of the sex trafficking charge, Parker could be sentenced to as many as 15 years in prison and fined up to $40,000. If convicted on the other charge, she could be sentenced to as many as 20 years in prison and fined $50,000.