Chicago-Based Trafficker Mario Brandon Thompson Arrested in Rochester, Minnesota

Rochester, Minnesota police conducted a prostitution sting after spotting an online sex advertisement. Using an undercover phone, officers arranged a meeting with the woman advertised and detained her on July 22 at a local hotel.

Investigators linked the woman to 32‑year‑old Mario Brandon Thompson, a Chicago resident alleged to run a sex‑trafficking network across the Midwest. Court documents say Thompson directed the woman to have sex with or scam other men and to pay him under threat of violence. Phone‑data warrants showed his travel between Detroit, Chicago, Indianapolis, Columbus and other smaller cities during July.

Thompson was arrested without incident when he arrived at the Rochester hotel. He faces one count of engaging in sex trafficking with an individual and one count of receiving profits from prostitution. Bail was set at $250,000. In a statement, Thompson denied trafficking charges, claiming he only manages OnlyFans accounts for women.