Cedar Rapids woman testifies Hiawatha man planned to make teen have sex for money

CEDAR RAPIDS — A Cedar Rapids woman testified Monday that a Hiawatha man, on trial this week for human trafficking and pimping, told her he could “get a lot of money” for a 17-year-old he recruited from Dubuque to pose for naked photos and who he planned to force into having sex for money.

Tana Torres, 50, said in Linn County District Court that Jarod Earl Anderson, 35, drove them to Dubuque to pick up the teen and gave her a bag with tequila and psychedelic mushrooms, which the teen consumed. Anderson talked to the teen about taking the explicit photos but didn’t mention her performing sexual acts for money, Torres said.

Anderson, whose trial started last week, is charged with human trafficking a minor, third-degree sexual abuse, conspiracy to commit a forcible felony, pimping and two counts of sexual exploitation of a minor. This is the first trial in Iowa under a 2023 law that increases the penalties for human trafficking of a minor to a class A felony — punishable by life in prison without the possibility of parole.

Torres is charged with human trafficking a minor, second-degree sexual abuse, conspiracy to commit a forcible felony and prostitution.

In her testimony Monday, Torres said she and Anderson and the teen drove back to the Quality Inn in Cedar Rapids, where she and Anderson had been staying. The teen, who seemed intoxicated when they picked her up, became more so and passed out for an hour or so after they got in the motel room, Torres said.

Torres said Anderson started out taking photos of the teen, who was wearing only a bra. He would instruct her how to pose and what to do. He then started cuddling and touching her and eventually had sex with her.

Torres said Anderson posted the explicit photos online, offering the teen for sex in exchange for money. The teen didn’t fully understand what Anderson wanted her to do and wouldn’t undress when the first customer arrived, she told the Linn County jurors.

Plea agreement

During her testimony, Torres said she will receive a plea agreement if she testifies truthfully about the events involving the teen from May 21 and 22, 2024. She will plead to conspiracy to commit a forcible felony and three counts of prostitution and be sentenced to up to eight years in prison.

Torres’ testimony corroborated some of what the 17-year-old testified about last Thursday, but some portions were recalled differently by Torres, who admitted she was intoxicated from liquor and drugs.

Motel and a house

Anderson had been communicating on social media with the teen, Torres found out later, under a woman’s name. The teen who testified last week thought that was Torres’ name. Torres also knew the teen under a fake name Anderson used.

When Anderson had sex with the teen, Torres said she didn’t hear the teen consent to it. At one point, she did tell him “no,” and he stopped.

On May 22, Anderson left the motel early and then called Torres, saying a customer was coming by to have sex with the 17-year-old. When the man arrived, the teen refused to have sex, so Torres told her to go into the bathroom and Torres had sex with the man.

The customer paid $120 for the five- or 10-minute appointment, Torres said. Torres, who had been working as a prostitute for Anderson since earlier in 2024, said Anderson would negotiate a price with the customer. She would collect the money but had to give it all to Anderson.

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Torres said it always worked that way. The price, or “donation,” as Anderson told her to call it, would be negotiated before the appointment, and Anderson wouldn’t be in the motel room.

Anderson then set up another customer, who wanted the teen to come to his Cedar Rapids home. Anderson went with her and the teen but didn’t go inside.

During this appointment, Torres realized the teen had never done this before and didn’t understand she had to have sex for money.

The teen went upstairs with the customer, AJ “Jerry” Brown, who the teen identified last week during her testimony, saying he forced her to perform sexual acts. Brown was charged with prostitution in the investigation, but he died and the charge was dismissed in October, according to court records. Brown sent $550 for a one-hour appointment to Anderson’s Venmo account.

After the teen and Brown went upstairs, Torres said she heard the teen becoming upset and whimpering. Torres took over and “entertained” the man until the teen came back in the room and had sex with him.

Anderson picked them up and had set up another customer who wanted to have sex with Torres and the teen for $800, but the teen again refused. Torres said she had sex with the customer for $300 and gave the money to Anderson.

Torres said Anderson went to be with his family, and the teen wanted to get her nails done because Anderson had promised her. When they returned, Anderson said another customer would be coming by and he left.

Teen leaves

Torres said the teen was on her phone, which she had been most of the time. The teen didn’t text or call anyone but she was communicating on social media with her sister and others. After hearing another customer was coming by, the teen started “screaming, yelling and crying,” saying the police were coming.

The 17-year-old became “hysterical,” as she was talking to her sister, Torres said. Her sister, or someone the teen had talked to, possibly called the police. Torres took the teen to the nearby Hampton Inn to avoid police. Torres wanted to call Anderson, so he could advise them, but the teen said no because she didn’t trust him.

The teen asked Torres to go back to the Quality Inn to get her clothes, which Torres did. Anderson returned after Torres called him, and he drove her over to the Hampton to drop off the teen’s belongings, Torres testified.

She said Anderson stayed outside the Hampton Inn, and then he and Torres left and drove around. When they drove back by the hotel, several police vehicles were there. The two then drove to Anderson’s house for him to get clothing and money.

They decided to go to his girlfriend’s home in Iowa City, where they slept a few hours and then to a hotel in Quincy, Ill., where Torres said she first met Anderson. They stayed in Quincy a few days, went to Mason City, Waterloo and finally go back to Cedar Rapids after a week or so.

‘Past rock bottom’

Torres admitted she wasn’t initially honest with police about what happened on May 21 and 22. She didn’t want to get in trouble, and she was worried about what Anderson would do to her.

“I still am,” Torres testified.

She said when she first met Anderson, who she had known as “Ty or Jojo,” he offered her $100 to buy cellphones for him. He gave her money to set up a cell family plan and then he sold the phones.

Anderson then asked her to work for him as an escort. He also had sex with her.

Torres admitted to being an alcoholic and using drugs. She had “gone past rock bottom” when she met him and agreed to be an escort, but he never paid her with money. He paid for her apartment and would provide her with alcohol and drugs.

On cross-examination, Torres admitted her first police interview was false. She didn’t tell the truth because she was scared. She denied having sex for money and that Anderson had sex with the teen, none of which was true, she said.

The prosecution may wrap up its case Tuesday, and the defense may start its case in the afternoon.

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