A Bronx couple has been arrested for allegedly running a sex trafficking operation involving at least eight women in Manhattan, Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, Jr. announced on Wednesday.
Kareem “Napoleon” Mitchell, 38, and Sharice Mitchell, 51, were charged with sex trafficking, promoting prostitution and conspiracy, with Kareem also facing a charge of aggravated harassment.
“Sex traffickers target the most vulnerable New Yorkers, including – far too often – young New Yorkers in the child welfare system,” said District Attorney Bragg. “As alleged, instead of providing a safe home, this husband and wife forced eight young women to engage in prostitution. We will continue to prioritize proactive investigations like these to dismantle sex trafficking operations and keep New Yorkers safe.”
Kareem Mitchell is a registered sex offender stemming from his 2008 federal conviction for transportation of a minor to engage in prostitution and other related charges. According to court documents, Kareem allegedly ran a sex trafficking operation between November 2018 and February 2022. He allegedly used Facebook and Instagram to recruit women to work for him and then allegedly subjected the victims to verbal and physical abuse to coerce them to engage in prostitution. Kareem would allegedly have the victims engage in prostitution in cars and hotels in Midtown, in other Manhattan neighborhoods like Harlem, the Upper East Side and Upper West Side, as well as Brooklyn, Queens, and the Bronx.
Kareem’s wife, Sharice Mitchell, allegedly aided in the sex trafficking operation. Sharice is a certified foster parent and allegedly lied on her application to become a foster parent, claiming she did not live with her husband – though he was registered to the same address. Two of the women who were in the sex trafficking operation were placed in Sharice’s care as young adults.
