A New Jersey man faces charges for allegedly sex trafficking New York City teenagers over the course of several weeks, prosecutors announced Friday.
Patterson resident Walter Melvin, 29, was charged with two counts of sex trafficking a child and two counts of sex trafficking.
According to court documents, in September 2022 Melvin allegedly met two teen girls, aged 16 and 15 years old, in Times Square. After promising them drugs and the opportunity to earn money through prostitution, Melvin allegedly brought the girls back to New Jersey and within a few days, he allegedly set up prostitution ads online, which included nude photos of the 15-year-old.
Over the course of six weeks, Melvin allegedly communicated directly with the men who answered his advertisements and arranged for them to have sex with one of the teens at his apartment. Melvin also allegedly beat the 15-year-old on several occasions and raped the 16-year-old when she returned to his apartment, where he kept a gun, weeks later in an attempt to force her into continued prostitution.
“Walter Melvin allegedly preyed on and took advantage of two teenage girls in a deliberate plan to engage them in prostitution,” said District Attorney Alvin Bragg. “Nobody should have to endure the type of psychological, physical and emotional abuse that these young survivors experienced. Our Office is focused on prosecuting those who engage in this horrific behavior, while also supporting the survivors throughout these cases and helping them heal.”
