ASHEVILLE, N.C. (828newsNOW) — Milo Henderson, 39, who was arrested in June 2024 in connection with a human trafficking investigation at an Asheville hotel, pleaded guilty to multiple felonies and was sentenced March 31, 2025, in Buncombe County Superior Court.

Henderson was taken into custody following a joint operation by the Asheville Police Department and the Cherokee Indian Police Department at the Econo Lodge on Tunnel Road. Authorities initially investigated an individual with outstanding warrants but discovered evidence of a potential human trafficking operation at the hotel, the Buncombe County District Attorney’s Office said in a news release.

During surveillance, officers identified Henderson as a suspect in the trafficking activity, the news release said. Searches of hotel rooms linked to Henderson and another individual led to the discovery of a trafficking amount of suspected controlled substances. Lab results confirmed the presence of methamphetamine and crack cocaine.

Henderson pleaded guilty before Superior Court Judge Alan Thornburg, who sentenced him to an active prison term of 53 to 82 months. The court ordered Henderson to have no direct or indirect contact with the victim.

The investigation also led to the arrest and termination of a Buncombe County Sheriff’s Office deputy for solicitation of prostitution.

The victim was informed of the plea and approved the outcome.