Sean Atkins, 49, Donald Dargan, 59, and Quincy Wilson, 44, were all arraigned by Magisterial District Judge Daniel C. DeAntonio on a list of felony charges, with all three arraigned on counts of rape, rape of an unconscious victim, sexual assault, conspiracy of involuntary servitude, corrupt organizations and several other charges.

Atkins and Wilson also face charges of kidnapping and unlawful restraint.

All five named suspects in the ring are now in custody. Derrick McNeal, 51, and Tony Ross, 45, were previously arrested.

Court documents stated that the Altoona Police Department first became aware of a human trafficking ring being operated in Altoona in December 2020.

Atkins

Police said the ring provided drugs, namely heroin, to females in order to get them “strung out.”

The group would then cut the women off from their supply of drugs, causing them to suffer withdrawal commonly known as “dope sick,” court documents state.

Once the females were desperate for drugs, police said the group would have the women prostitute themselves in order to obtain drugs.

Court documents state that occasionally, the females were forced into closets or struck if they refused to have sex with the men coming into the residence.

Police said Ross told one man that they could sell his paramour in Cresson and “make good money off of her.”

Dargan

Ross was first taken into custody by police May 5 on drug delivery charges when he allegedly disclosed information about the sex ring.

Ross allegedly told police that women were being drugged and raped by the group, and he later admitted to being part of it and told police the ring was being operated on the 700 block of Third Avenue.

Throughout the investigation, police learned that the ring would change its location throughout the Altoona area as occupants were evicted or law enforcement began to pressure the residents.

One victim recounted instances of being dope sick and forced to sell drugs to a buyer. The victim said she was not allowed to consume any drugs until the purchase was complete.

Dargan allegedly told the victim that he would provide her with a stronger form of heroin to take care of her addiction if she sold the drugs.

The victim alleged that while she was suffering withdrawal symptoms, Dargan would pressure her into having sex with him and would withhold drugs from her if she refused.

Dargan is accused of raping a female victim March 2021 while the victim was tired and lethargic from a drug ingestion. The victim said she did not resist for fear of being cut off from further drug disbursements or other physical harm.

Dargan later admitted to police that the group would obtain drugs for the girls to “spice things up.”

Another victim recounted several instances of abuse, stating she would be “tied up to chairs and burnt with cigarettes by those purchasing her,” the complaint stated. According to the 11-page criminal affidavit, Atkins is accused by police of providing crack to victims in exchange for sex.

Police said Atkins used a website to set up advertisements for the females the group was trafficking, and one victim accused Atkins and other group members of getting young girls addicted to heroin in order to be sold.

Wilson was cited by victims as a leader in the ring, and he allegedly bribed female victims with a disbursement of drugs if they slept with various men.

Court documents also state that police discovered one person dead from an overdose at Dargan’s apartment on Jan. 22 on the 800 block of Sixth Avenue. Dargen also is facing charges of drug delivery resulting in death and recklessly endangering another person.

Upon searching the residence, officers found various drug paraphernalia and empty heroin baggies.

One victim alleged that the group would target women whose paramours were incarcerated because they are easy to take advantage of, the complaint stated.

Multiple victims also stated their reluctance to come forward, fearing retaliation from the group.

Atkins, Dargan and Wilson were all remanded to Blair County Prison with bail set at $750,000, $450,000 and $500,000, respectively.

Mirror Staff Writer Calem Illig is at 814-946-7535.