By NEAL WAGNER / City Editor

A 22-year-old Wilsonville woman was arrested by the Pelham Police Department on April 20 and charged with five felony counts of promoting prostitution – some of which involved girls younger than 16, police said.

Officers responded to a call reporting possible incidents of prostitution at a Pelham mobile home park late on the night of April 20, said Pelham Lt. Pete Folmar.

When officers arrived at the scene, they interviewed witnesses and determined Wilsonville resident Chelsea Marie Joiner allegedly was involved in prostituting multiple girls, some of whom were younger than 16, Folmar said.

Police then arrested Joiner and charged her with five counts of first-degree promoting prostitution.

“She was prostituting some underage girls at a trailer park in Pelham,” Folmar said. “We are still investigating the exact number of incidents, so additional charges could be coming.

“I’m glad to say that we don’t deal with this type of charge too often,” Folmar added.

According to Alabama law, first-degree promoting prostitution is a Class B felony and occurs if a person “advances prostitution by compelling a person by force or intimidation to engage in prostitution, or profits from such coercive conduct by another,” or if a person “advances or profits from prostitution of a person less than 16 years of age.”

According to Shelby County Jail records, Joiner was released on April 23 on bonds totaling a $150,000.