By JESSA PEASE / Staff Writer

PELHAM— The Shelby County Drug Enforcement Task Force arrested 38-year-old Ricardo Crutcher on June 27 on charges of human trafficking, possession of a controlled substance and possession of marijuana.

He was apprehended at the Value Place hotel in Pelham, and was allegedly found with marijuana and two 10 ml hydrocodone in his possession.

He was charged with second-degree human trafficking, which is a Class B felony and is defined as knowingly benefitting financially from participating in a venture of arrangement for the purpose of sexual or labor servitude.

The charge came after Crutcher allegedly solicited a female victim to a Task Force Member for prostitution.

The marijuana allegedly found on Crutcher’s possession was declared personal use, and he was charged with first-degree possession of marijuana, which is a Class C felony. Crutcher was previously convicted of possession of marijuana in 2007.

Crutcher is currently being held in the Shelby County Jail with a bond set at $50,000.

Alabama law states that a Class C felony is punishable by a prison sentence of a minimum of one year in prison and a maximum sentence of 10 years. A Class B felony could result in a jail sentence of two to 20 years.