Image sources: Days Inn & Suites in Rancho Cordova, CA, Google Street View, © Google. Accessed via Google Maps. Photo of Abdul Basier Hashimi, courtesy of Elk Grove Tribune.
Hotels Have a Responsibility to Protect Guests, Not Enable Their Exploitation
Hotels have a legal and ethical obligation to recognize and respond to signs of human trafficking. When that duty is ignored, vulnerable individuals, especially children, can suffer unimaginable harm.
A recently filed federal lawsuit alleges that the Days Inn & Suites by Wyndham in Rancho Cordova, California, enabled and profited from the sex trafficking of a minor on its property.
According to the suit, the victim, a minor, was kidnapped and then trafficked by Abdul Basier Hashimi. He advertised the victim online through Backpage and brought buyers to the hotel, where she was forced into commercial sex work. Hashimi threatened to kill her and used drugs and alcohol to force her to comply.
The victim was ultimately rescued by law enforcement. Hashimi later pled guilty in federal court to sex trafficking a child and was sentenced to more than 12 years in prison, according to the U.S. Department of Justice.
The History of Red Flags at the Rancho Cordova Days Inn
The civil complaint, filed by Andreozzi + Foote, alleges that the Days Inn staff ignored clear signs of sex trafficking and continued renting rooms to the trafficker, financially benefiting by collecting payment for those rooms.
According to the suit, at least as early as 2012, guests at the hotel would leave reviews complaining that prostitution was openly occurring on the premises. These reviews continued into 2015, when the victim was trafficked at the hotel.
Despite these public red flags, the hotel allegedly failed to implement even basic anti-trafficking safeguards.
According to the complaint, employees witnessed ongoing abuse, such as a steady flow of buyers going in and out of rented rooms, visible distress, and direct interactions with the victim, but did nothing to intervene. Staff also allegedly acted as lookouts and informants, alerting the trafficker to police activity to avoid detection.
The complaint also notes that the hotel had full authority to refuse or remove guests engaging in illegal activity but failed to do so.
Widespread Industry Warnings And Willful Inaction
The hospitality industry has long been identified as a critical player in trafficking prevention.
As early as 2004, ECPAT-USA began working with the hospitality industry through the Tourism Child-Protection Code of Conduct (The Code) to raise awareness and provide training to prevent child sex trafficking.
In the years that followed, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and the American Hotel & Lodging Association also issued free online resources and toolkits to help hotels recognize and respond to trafficking.
The lawsuit alleges that despite these widely available resources, Days Inn failed to implement sufficient educational and training programs on sex trafficking or adopt any adequate anti-trafficking policies.
Allegations of Extreme and Outrageous Conduct
According to the suit, the hotel engaged in reckless, extreme, and outrageous conduct by providing Hashimi with rooms, despite knowing that he would likely use these rooms to traffic women and girls, including the victim.
The lawsuit claims the hotel’s actions were so extreme that no reasonable person would find them acceptable, showing an utter disregard for the consequences that would follow.
Help Is Available
If you or someone you know was trafficked at a hotel, you’re not alone. Please contact law enforcement or the National Human Trafficking Hotline.
📞 1-888-373-7888 (24/7, confidential)
📱 Text “BEFREE” (233733)
📧 help@humantraffickinghotline.org
Andreozzi + Foote: Fighting for Accountability
At Andreozzi + Foote, we are committed to holding institutions accountable when they fail to protect the vulnerable.
Hotels are not passive bystanders. They are often on the front lines of trafficking prevention. When they ignore clear red flags or prioritize profit over safety, they can and should be held liable under civil law.
If you were a victim of sex trafficking, you can contact Andreozzi + Foote for a free confidential legal consultation. Our firm represents survivors in civil lawsuits nationwide, and every case is handled with care, discretion, and determination.
Your story matters. Let us help you pursue justice.
