Two La Crosse residents accused of sex trafficking

Shantylle L. Kibler, 36, was charged Monday with four felony counts of human trafficking, one felony count of bail jumping and one misdemeanor count of possession of drug paraphernalia.

The complaint also involves 54-year-old Drae Broadnax, who has yet to be arrested or charged. The complaint says Broadnax drove the victim from Wausau to La Crosse and conspired with Kibler to force the victim into four acts of prostitution in the La Crosse area.

According to the complaint, police were called June 23 to Hardee’s in La Crosse, where a woman said she had escaped from a nearby Charles Street residence. She told police she brought Broadnax to Wausau and sold drugs for him. In exchange, she said Broadnax gave her a gram of crack cocaine.

The victim said she lost the money from one of the drug transactions and that Broadnax responded by telling her they were going to La Crosse to earn the money back.

The victim said she and Broadnax arrived June 20 at the Charles Street address, where she encountered Kibler. She told police that Kibler told her to take nude photos of herself over the next several days. The photos were posted to a website that solicits prostitution.

The victim told police that two of the prostitution encounters occurred in La Crosse and two others were likely out of town. She described one of the locations as a farm. She said all four involved sexual intercourse, which she described as painful. She said one of the men became abusive and slapped her in the face.

The victim said she was extremely fearful of Broadnax. She said Broadnax often brandished firearms and once told her, “People who go to the police don’t see tomorrow.” Broadnax is a convicted felon and is prohibited from owning firearms. She also said Broadnax maintains a significant amount of drugs at the residence.

Kibler was taken into custody July 1. She declined to speak with police and requested an attorney. She is being held in the La Crosse County Jail on a $500,000 cash bond.

Broadnax has open cases in La Crosse County involving drug trafficking, receiving stolen property and bail jumping. He was released from jail March 20, 2023, on a $20,000 signature bond. Court records show he has status hearings set for Aug. 27 and 28.