Four people were indicted for allegedly forcing a 14-year-old girl into selling her body for sex in New York City, Manhattan D.A. Alvin Bragg announced on Thursday.
The defendants, all young adults between the ages of 20 and 23, are alleged to have operated the sex trafficking business beginning in November 2023 through February of this year.
Nickolous Charles, 21, Brianna Moreno, 20, Alejandrina Ventura, 24, and Wilson-Mariano Ventura, 23, are charged in a New York State Supreme Court indictment with fourth-degree conspiracy and second-degree promoting prostitution.
Additionally, Charles, as well as Alejandrina and Wilson-Mariano Ventura, are charged with sex trafficking of a child. Moreno and Charles are facing charges of third-degree promoting prostitution..
Beginning on or about Nov. 10, 2023, according to the charges, the four defendants conspired to traffic the child, who was a frequent runaway. They featured nude or half-dressed photos of the young girl while advertising her online for escort services.
Prosecutors said Charles, Moreno and the Venturas repeatedly communicated with one another throughout the scheme. On numerous instances, officials from the DA’s office said, they brought “clients” to the Venturas’ Harlem apartment for rendezvous with the girl. Other sexual trysts with the girl were arranged at locations throughout the city.
It is not yet known how many “clients” met the child for sex. None have been arrested, but the investigation remains ongoing.
Charles and Moreno, law enforcement sources said, allegedly organized the “dates” using various phone numbers as well as their own; collected payment from the “customers”; and used that money as rent to live and work out of the Venturas’ apartment.
“As alleged, these individuals targeted a 14-year-old who frequently ran away from home, abusing her and profiting off of her,” said District Attorney Bragg. “The child’s age is exceedingly common in human trafficking cases and illustrates why my office is fighting to eliminate the statute of limitations for sex trafficking.
Currently, victims of sex trafficking and child sex trafficking only have up to five years to report a crime.
“This young girl has been put through an unimaginably terrible ordeal, and it is no wonder why it might take survivors more than a very narrow five years to come forward,” Bragg said, referencing the state’s short window for reporting sex trafficking crimes.
The NYPD, along with the Manhattan D.A.’s Human Trafficking Unit were able to uncover the criminal activity by tracing the phone numbers associated with online advertisements.
If convicted, the defendants can face up to 25 years in prison.
Sex trafficking in New York
According to statistics, New York is an epicenter for human trafficking. Since 2007, the National Human Trafficking Hotline has identified nearly 4,000 cases of human trafficking, with over 7,500 victims identified in those cases.
These cases can involve labor or domestic work, but an overwhelming number are instances of sex trafficking.
