More than 20 people were arrested across four Brooklyn Center hotels Sept. 9 after authorities conducted a “planned law enforcement operation” related to “ongoing criminal investigation involving suspected human trafficking, narcotics distribution, firearms offenses, and other criminal activity,” according to the Brooklyn Center Police Department.
At a Sept. 9 news conference, Brooklyn Center Police Chief Garett Flesland said he “has never been a part of an investigation this complex, this large,” throughout his decades-long career in law enforcement.
At least seven firearms, $9,000 in cash, and a pound-and-a-half of drugs were recovered during the raids. Authorities arrested individuals suspected of sex trafficking, promotion of prostitution, drug possession, drug manufacturing, illegal gun possession and other crimes.
“It’s important to note that these are preliminary grounds for arrest,” Flesland said. “They should not be interpreted as a final list of filed charges or allegations that apply to every person arrested today.”
Flesland said the investigation began last year with a focus on suspected criminal activity at the Travelodge and Super 8 hotels.
The scope of the investigation grew to include two other nearby hotels, the Baymont by Wyndham and Suburban Studios, and also “identified connections with ongoing criminal investigations being conducted by other agencies,” Flesland added.
Local, state and federal officials hold a press conference near the Brooklyn Center Travelodge by Wyndham and Super 8 hotels Sept. 9 to announce preliminary results of the raids carried out at four hotels in the city. From left: FBI Minneapolis Field Office Special Agent in Charge Christopher D. Dotson, Hennepin County Sheriff Dawanna Witt, Brooklyn Center Police Chief Garett Flesland.
(Sun Photo by Jack Wiedner)
More than 250 personnel from local, county, state and federal law enforcement agencies were involved in the Sept. 9 operation. Together, they conducted 30 court-authorized search warrants — 26 were executed at the Super 8 and Travelodge, while the remaining four were spread across Baymont and Suburban Studios.
These Brooklyn Center hotels have been tied to cases “from all over Minnesota,” including ongoing criminal investigations, according to Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension Superintendent Drew Evans.
“A lot of great work was done today, but that work will continue going forward to ensure that the individuals that are committing these acts are held accountable,” Evans said.
Known issues
The Brooklyn Center Police Department reported 1,300 police calls to the Super 8 from January 2025 to Aug. 27, 2026. The department was called to the Travelodge 975 times in that same period. Those calls lead to 246 arrests across the two properties.
Police tape lines the parking lot of Super 8 in Brooklyn Center Sept. 9 following raids at four hotels in the city. Individuals stand outside of the hotel making phone calls, some surrounded by their belongings.
(Sun Photo by Jack Wiedner)
“Detectives also report that individuals previously contacted or recovered have returned to the same environment, illustrating how coercion, threats, and addiction can make it extremely difficult for victims to leave,” the department highlighted in a news release. ”When the search warrant applications were finalized, investigators documented nine active commercial-sex advertisements associated with the hotels.”
Individuals who specialize in victim support, including FBI personnel, were on the scene to assist potential trafficking victims encountered during the raids and connected them with appropriate services.
In February, Hennepin County Public Health temporarily closed the Travelodge after multiple health and safety violations were discovered at the hotel following inspections by city and county officials.
Brooklyn Center Fire Chief Todd Berg described rooms without heat, dried vomit and blood splattered on the walls in the stairwell, clothes scattered throughout the property and other health safety concerns upon initial inspection this winter. By early March, the city found the Travelodge was in “overall fair condition” and it was later allowed to reopen.
At the Sept. 9 news conference, Flesland said it was “too early” to determine if there was an interconnected criminal network operating across the four hotels. He did not rule out the involvement of property owners or managers in the alleged crimes and noted it was a possibility that “is being looked at.”
“Law enforcement and partner agencies also assisted the legitimate hotel guests and other occupants who are not involved in criminal activity,” the press release noted. “Hennepin County Public Health will inspect and evaluate conditions at the Super 8 and Travelodge and determine whether any corrective or closure notices or orders are warranted. No closure outcome is being announced at this time.”
Arrest totals, evidence recovered, potential criminal charges, and any regulatory actions involving the properties will be released when that information has been verified and can appropriately be made public, according to police.