Red Roof Inn in Mount Laurel where Jane Doe alleges she was sex trafficked.

By Cecilia Levine From Daily Voice

A New Jersey woman has filed two lawsuits in New Jersey federal court alleging that Red Roof Inn and Motel 6 turned a blind eye while she was beaten, raped, and sold for sex as a teenager.

In court documents, the alleged victim Jane Doe claims that she was trafficked by Stanton Krogulski, a man she met in May 2014, when she was 17 years old, grieving her mother’s death, and facing homelessness.

One suit filed July 9 by Hach, Rose, Schirripa, and Cheverie LLP alleges that Jane Doe was lured to Motel 6 on Route 73 North in Maple Shade, where Krogulski — who was killed in Philadelphia in August 2023 — coerced her into sex trafficking from May 2014 until her escape in mid-August 2015.

The suit claims Motel 6 staff ignored “numerous and obvious signs of sex trafficking” including “large quantities of condoms in the trash; ongoing stays paid for in cash or a pre-paid card on a day-to-day basis; and numerous men entering and exiting the same room at all hours.”

Doe says she and other victims were housed in a separate building “with constant car and male foot traffic observable at all hours,” and that a front desk worker named Raj was friendly with Krogulski and even frequented the room of another victim.

When Doe resisted, the lawsuit says, Krogulski hit and dragged her, raped her, and threatened to “blow [her] fucking head off” if she tried to leave. She eventually escaped by running to a gas station and calling her grandmother, according to the lawsuit.

In a second lawsuit, filed by the same firm on July 25, Doe accuses Red Roof Inn on Fellowship Road in Mount Laurel of similarly allowing her trafficking to continue. The suit further says she was advertised on a website well known for human trafficking against her will, physically tortured, and sexually exploited under duress at hotels in Mount Laurel.

Doe was forced to have sex with two to three men daily, sometimes back-to-back, and that staff witnessed verbal abuse such as Krogulski telling her, "Bitch, fix your face before I fix it for you," the suit alleges.

The suit claims staff observed “frequent room changes, cash payments for extended stays, large quantities of condoms in rooms, and multiple men visiting the same rooms daily,” but took no action.

In 2015, another trafficked woman ran half-naked into the Red Roof Inn parking lot, yelling for help, and escaped without pursuit by Krogulski, according to the same suit. Yet, Jane Doe continued to be trafficked at this location by Krogulski, the suit alleges.

Both lawsuits accuse the hotels and their parent companies of knowingly profiting from her trafficking in violation of the federal Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act.

In a statement to Daily Voice, Red Roof said:

“Red Roof condemns and has zero tolerance for human trafficking and child exploitation. The company mandates human trafficking training for its franchisees, who are independent business owners and operators, to help educate them in identifying and reporting this criminal activity."We are actively working with the hospitality industry through its alliances with AAHOA, AHLA, No Room for Trafficking Advisory Council, and PACT in the fight to eradicate trafficking and the exploitation of victims.”

In a statement issued to the NY Post, Motel 6 said:

“We are truly saddened by the alleged incident and our thoughts are with the individual who has experienced such harm,” the Motel 6 statement reads. “There is nothing more important to us than the safety and well-being of our guests, our team members, and the community. We condemn all forms of human trafficking, which is a terrible violation of human dignity and a global crisis the hospitality industry faces. While the franchisees operate their properties independently, we follow strict security and safety protocols to help to enable safe environment for all.”

 Motel 6 had not returned Daily Voice's request for comment as of Saturday night, Aug. 9.

In both suits, Doe seeks compensatory and punitive damages, attorneys’ fees and costs, and any other legal or equitable relief the court deems appropriate.