Two Huntington Station residents were indicted in a sex-trafficking case involving a 14-year-old girl, Suffolk County District Attorney Ray Tierney said Friday.
According to his office:
The female defendant began dating the victim’s mother in 2019 and began to regularly stay at her apartment where she lived with three children, including the 14-year- old victim. She regularly watched the victim and siblings while their mother was at work.
The male defendant, who was friends with the female co-defendant, began
stopping by the apartment. Both defendants allegedly engaged in grooming behaviors such as talking to the victim about engaging in sex with the male defendant.
In November 2019, while the victim’s mother was at work, the then 49-year-old male defendant allegedly picked up the victim, then 14 years old, from the apartment and took the victim to a motel in Huntington, where he allegedly raped the victim. Afterwards, he allegedly gave the victim cash, and directed the victim to give the money to the female defendant.
The female defendant allegedly sold the victim to the male defendant for sex at least three more times over the course of the next year – when the victim was between 14 and 15 years old. Each time, the female defendant allegedly arranged for the male defendant to take the victim to the same motel where he would allegedly subject the victim to sexual acts and then pay the female defendant. All the incidents occurred while the female defendant was allegedly caring for the victim and her sibling while their mother was at work.
The victim disclosed the alleged sexual abuse to a counselor in August 2022, after one of the victim’s younger siblings told the victim that they were also approached by the female defendant to engage in similar sexual activity with the male defendant. When the victim learned that the sibling was in danger, the victim disclosed the alleged sexual abuse in order to protect the sibling.
Both defendants were arrested on Sept.13.
“This child victim was allegedly sold for sex by a parental figure. No child should ever be subjected to the horrors of sex trafficking, let alone for the financial gain of an adult that they look to for security and love,” Tierney said. “Holding sex buyers and human traffickers accountable for creating the demand that fuels the exploitation of children is important, in order to eradicate this scourge from our community.”
The victim disclosed the abuse to a counselor in August 2022, after one of the
victim’s younger siblings told the victim that they were also approached by the female defendant to engage in similar sexual activity with the male defendant. When the victim learned that the sibling was in danger, the victim disclosed the alleged sexual abuse in order to protect the sibling.
The woman was indicted for the following charges:
Four counts of Sex Trafficking of a Child, Class B violent felonies;
Two counts of Promoting Prostitution in the First Degree, Class B felonies; and
Two counts of Promoting Prostitution in the Second Degree, Class C felonies.
The male defendant was indicted for the following charges:
Two counts of Rape in the Second, Class D violent felonies;
Six counts of Criminal Sexual Act in the Second Degree, Class D violent felonies;
Two counts of Aggravated Patronizing a Minor for Prostitution in the Second Degree,
Class D felonies;
Three counts of Rape in the Third Degree, Class E felonies;
Five counts of Criminal Sexual Act in the Third Degree, Class E felonies;
Three counts of Aggravated Patronizing a Minor for Prostitution in the Third Degree, Class
E felonies; and
Six counts of Sexual Abuse in the Third Degree, Class B misdemeanors.
On Friday at arraignment, Acting Supreme Court Judge Karen M. Wilutis ordered her held on $250,000 cash, $500,000 bond, or $2.5 million partially secured bond during the pendency of the case. The woman is due back in court on Nov, 21,
On Sept. 14, at the male defendant’s arraignment on the felony complaint, the District Attorney’s Office requested that the defendant be held on $500,000 cash, $750,000 bond, or $1 million partially secured bond during the pendency of the case. However, District Court Judge Bernard C. Cheng ordered the defendant released and placed him on supervised release with the probation department. He is due back in court to be arraigned on Oct, 17.
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