FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Tuesday, July 31, 2018
East New York Man Indicted For Sex Trafficking of 14-Year-Old Girl
Defendant Allegedly Kept Her Against Her Will, Forced Her to Work as Prostitute
Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez today announced that an East New York man has been charged in an 11-count indictment with sex trafficking, promoting prostitution and related charges for allegedly forcing a 14-year-old girl to have sex with men for money and then turn over that money to him.
District Attorney Gonzalez said, “This defendant allegedly treated a young girl as a piece of property, forcing her to work in the sex trade. In Brooklyn we are committed to protecting all victims of predators and keeping individuals safe from such violent behavior. We will now seek to hold him accountable for his alleged actions.”
The District Attorney identified the defendant as Travis Walker, 28, of East New York, Brooklyn. He was arraigned today before Brooklyn Supreme Court Justice Matthew D’Emic on an indictment in which he is charged with sex trafficking, first-, second-, third- and fourth-degree promoting prostitution, second- and third-degree rape, third-degree attempted assault and endangering the welfare of a child. He faces up to 25 years in prison if convicted of the top count and will have to register as a sex offender. He was ordered held on $300,000 bail and to return to court on August 29, 2018.
The District Attorney said that, according to the investigation, between May 25, 2018 and June 18, 2018, the defendant prostituted a 14-year-old girl on multiple occasions in Brooklyn, forcing her to walk the streets in the middle of the night to pick up strangers to have sex for money, as well as at his house, at a Borough Park hotel, and at a bachelor party in Williamsburg. The defendant also allegedly raped the victim. The investigation also revealed that in addition to the minor victim, Walker allegedly promoted the prostitution of several other women.
It is alleged that the defendant withheld food from the victim; used force, including kicking her in her back with his boots; had one of the other women use force against the victim; and forced her to give him any money she earned from prostitution.
After a woman who was also working as a prostitute for the defendant learned the victim’s true age, that woman helped the teenager get away from the defendant’s house, according to the investigation. The victim was later spotted on a Brooklyn street by her aunt, who contacted her parents, who then called police.
The case was investigated by New York City Police Department Detective Jacob Merino and Detective Elizabeth Gonzalez, of the Vice Human Trafficking Team, under the supervision of Lieutenant Christopher Sharpe and Captain Thomas Milano, and the overall supervision of Inspector James Klein. Police Officer Tony Cuoco of the NYPD’s 75th Precinct assisted in the investigation.
The case is being prosecuted by Senior Assistant District Attorney David Weiss, of the District Attorney’s Human Trafficking Unit, with the assistance of KCDA Social Worker Tracy Sun, under the supervision of Assistant District Attorney Laura Edidin, Unit Chief, and the overall supervision of Assistant District Attorney Miss Gregory, Chief of the Special Victims Bureau.
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