A woman claims she was trafficked for sex as a teenager and is accusing employees at two upscale apartment complexes in California of ignoring the situation and, in some instances, allegedly accepting bribes while the trafficking took place in these high-end residences, according to a federal lawsuit.

Filed this month, the lawsuit features accusations from the woman, referred to as A.V., who asserts that staff at Avalon at Mission Bay and South Beach Marina Apartments in San Francisco failed to act while she was being trafficked between 2018 and 2019, a period that began when she was still a high school student and under 18.

The suit claims that a man, under the alias “Tom Roe,” orchestrated the trafficking, forcing A.V. and other victims to perform commercial sex acts within the apartment units. Roe allegedly paid for these luxurious apartments, often using cash, while the trafficking continued unabated.

Attorneys for the plaintiffs argue that Roe specifically chose these luxury buildings for their opulent image and features, effectively using them as the base for his trafficking operation, with clients frequently visiting the units.

The lawsuit highlights Avalon at Mission Bay as one of the two luxury complexes implicated in the sex trafficking and negligence allegations. (Google Maps)

The lawsuit states Roe initially rented a one-bedroom unit at South Beach Marina Apartments for approximately $7,500 a month, paid in cash. Later, the complaint alleges, A.V. and the other victims were moved to Avalon at Mission Bay, where rent was roughly $10,000 a month because Roe believed the property was “more luxurious.”

According to the complaint, apartment employees, including front-desk staff, security personnel and maintenance workers, observed circumstances that plaintiffs’ attorneys describe as indicators of sex trafficking. Those indicators allegedly included multiple unregistered tenants, including a minor, frequent visits from non-resident men and a lease held in the name of a person with no reported income.

The lawsuit further alleges that security cameras monitored entrances, side doors, gyms and common areas of the buildings, and that staff observed A.V. entering and exiting the properties with customers.

South Beach Marina Apartments, a luxury complex, is named in a federal lawsuit filed by a woman who says she was trafficked as a minor. (Google Maps)

Plaintiffs’ attorneys also allege maintenance workers entered the apartment units during the trafficking operation and witnessed commercial sex acts, drug use and cash exchanges, but that no action was taken.

According to the complaint, Roe allegedly kept A.V. compliant by providing drugs, including cocaine and Xanax, and by threatening violence if she failed to make enough money. The lawsuit also alleges Roe branded A.V. and other victims with tattoos as part of the trafficking operation.

Among the most serious allegations, the complaint claims Roe paid apartment employees in cash in exchange for their silence and that front-desk and security staff instructed victims to hide their faces when bringing customers into or out of the buildings.

A street sign hangs outside a new apartment building on Mission Street, Tuesday, June 2, 2015, in San Francisco.  (Eric Risberg/AP Photo)

The lawsuit also alleges the apartment operators failed to properly train employees to recognize and report signs of sex trafficking and that the companies benefited financially through rent payments, service fees and continued use of the apartment units.

According to the complaint, A.V. was only able to escape the alleged trafficking operation after Roe was arrested by the FBI. The lawsuit does not specify when the arrest occurred or whether federal charges were filed.

A federal judge has granted A.V. permission to proceed under a pseudonym due to the sensitive nature of the allegations.

The lawsuit accuses the apartment operators of negligence and emotional distress and seeks to hold the companies accountable, as well as their owners, security teams and agents.

Fox News Digital reached out to AvalonBay Communities, South Beach Marina Apartments, the San Francisco Police Department, the FBI, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of California and attorneys representing the plaintiff for comment.

Stepheny Price covers crime, including missing persons, homicides and migrant crime. Send story tips to stepheny.price@fox.com.