Man Accused Of Sex Trafficking Minor Sentenced

WESTCHESTER COUNTY, NY — A New York man will be spending more than a decade behind bars for sex trafficking a minor girl. Geoffrey S. Berman, the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York, said Jermaine Myrie, 35, was sentenced Thursday by U.S. District Judge Kimba M. Wood to 135 months in prison.

Myrie had previously pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to engage in sex trafficking of a minor.

Berman said Myrie previously admitted to unconscionable conduct involving the exploitation of a minor girl who lived in the state's social services system.

"Today's lengthy prison term exemplifies the seriousness of Myrie's crimes against his vulnerable minor victim," he said.

Berman said his office will continue to advocate for the victims of these crimes and urges anyone who might have information that may be relevant to this investigation to contact the FBI at 1-212-384-1000 or https://tips.fbi.gov.

According to prosecutors and court documents, from January 2016 to April 2016, Myrie, who is also known as "Rapp," participated in a conspiracy to engage in sex trafficking and sexual exploitation of a minor victim.

Authorities said he recruited, enticed, harbored, transported, provided, obtained and maintained the victim for the purpose of commercial sex.

Prior to being trafficked by Myrie, the girl lived at a residential treatment facility located in Westchester County, which provided housing for at-risk troubled children on behalf of social services for certain counties in the state.

Prosecutors said Myrie recruited the victim by saying he was romantically interested in her. He used Backpage.com, an online classifieds website, to post ads of the girl for commercial sex.

Myrie sent the child to engage in commercial sex in locations in the Bronx.

He also used physical violence with the girl to discourage her from working for any other pimps, prosecutors said.

In addition to his prison sentence of 11.25 years, Myrie was sentenced to five years of supervised release.

He is the second defendant to be sentenced in this case by Wood for his participation in sex trafficking of minors.

Reuben Sands, who pleaded guilty to conspiracy to violate the Travel Act, was sentenced Dec. 18 to a term of 60 months in prison.

Berman said this case is part of an ongoing prosecution of 19 defendants accused of sex trafficking at least 20 minor girls and young adults in the state's social services systems. All 19 have been convicted, either via guilty plea or following trial.

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