Last week, the Manhattan DA’s office unveiled charges against a father and son accused of running a sex trafficking ring. Six livery cab drivers were indicted for their roles in the operation as promoters of prostitution. Both the two pimps and the livery cab drivers have pled not guilty (details here and here). These men are presumed innocent until proven guilty.
Wonder who patronizes prostitutes? In New York City, the group includes NYC finance and real estate professionals, a doctor, a restauranteur, a musician and recent college graduates. A spokesperson for the DA’s office says that 22 “johns” have been charged in the case. Two have already pled guilty.
According to the press release from the Manhattan DAs office, the father-son pimps “doled out only a few dollars a night to buy food and other necessities” to the women working for them. The men “employed other forms of psychological manipulation and domination in an effort to maintain their control over the prostituted victims. For example, they branded victims with tattoos depicting their street names, and at least one of the women was tattooed with a bar code as well.” Read the full press release here.
Here’s some recent news coverage:
- NY Post: Sick sex ‘drive’ — Trapped prostitutes shuttled to tricks by 6 cabbies: DA
- NY Daily News: Olsen twins’ bodyguard one of 14 charged for using father-son pimp team services
- Associated Press: DA: 14 charged in NYC sex-trafficking case
- Huffington Post: Taking Down Pimps Without Traumatizing Victims
-Bridget Crawford
