The defense has begun its testimony in a groundbreaking federal sex trafficking trial centered on two Red Roof Inn hotels in metro Atlanta.
The first defense witness was a former general manager of one of the two Red Roof Inn locations named in the lawsuit.
Robert Allen said he served as general manager of the Buckhead Red Roof Inn from 2012 until 2018 – the same time the plaintiffs say the sex trafficking was going on.
The other hotel named in the lawsuit is on Corporate Plaza in Smyrna.
On the stand, Allen said he underwent yearly training by Red Roof Inn to identify prostitution and sex trafficking and said he also instructed his employees on how to look for the signs.
He testified that if he saw too much traffic going in and out of a room, he’d ask the guests to leave.
Allen said if employees suspected sex trafficking to “report it directly to myself, I would investigate it. If there was any merit to it, I would get police involved.”
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During cross-examination, the plaintiffs’ attorney asked Allen if he agreed with a statement from his regional supervisor that prostitution was not a problem at the hotel.
“I would say not a problem as I never had anybody arrested for prostitution,” he said. “I can’t say there was prostituting.”
He said in his six years on the job, he never heard from a sex trafficking victim.
Eleven survivors who are suing the Red Roof Inn and other related corporate entities say they were forced to have sex with numerous men and physically abused.
They say it happened from 2009 to 2018.
They claim the national hotel brand knowingly profited from sex trafficking.
Red Roof Inn denies all the allegations and says it condemns sex trafficking in all forms.
The civil trial began earlier this month and is set to last for four weeks.
Jurors have heard testimony from some of the plaintiffs, former employees, several deposition videos and more.
Testimony for the defense will continue Wednesday.
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