A 22-year-old South Ozone Park man is officially the first person in New York State to be indicted under the state’s “sex trafficking” statute since its enactment last year.
Woodley Gaston, of 118-08 Rockaway Boulevard, is charged with using intimidation and threats of murder to force a 16-year-old girl to perform sexual acts for pay for nearly a dozen male customers a day.
“The defendant is accused of participating in a modern-day version of slavery by holding a teenage girl captive and coercing her through psychological intimidation to prostitute her for his own financial gain,” said District Attorney Richard A. Brown.
He continued, “Few activities are as brutal and dehumanizing as prostitution. The defendant’s alleged actions as the victim’s pimp and captor not only forced her into a life of degradation, but put her at risk of contracting a myriad of serious and fatal diseases, including HIV/AIDS. Unfortunately for him, state lawmakers gave prosecutors a new tool last year to bring those who victimize and exploit such vulnerable individuals to justice and put them behind bars for a long time.”
Gaston, whose bail was set at $350,000, was arraigned on a six-count indictment charging him with the crimes of sex trafficking, second- and third-degree promoting prostitution, third-degree rape, endangering the welfare of a child and permitting prostitution.
His attorney, Ronald S. Nir, retained by the defendant’s family on Saturday, June 21, said that Gaston is also facing an older pending criminal court docket.
According to Brown’s office, Gaston befriended the 16-year-old victim - buying her clothes and paying for her to get her hair and nails done. He then allegedly forced her to work for him as a prostitute between March 5 and March 23 at “tracks” (known prostitution locations) located at Sutphin Boulevard, between South Road and 107th Avenue; and at Conduit Avenue near John F. Kennedy Airport.
Brown also alleges that Gaston advertised the victim on Craig’s List. The victim, it is alleged, was expected to have sex with approximately 10 men a day and to give Gaston all the money she earned prostituting herself. It is also alleged that during this time, the teenage victim stayed at Gaston’s house, where he had sexual intercourse with her and repeatedly threatened to kill her if she left him or went with another pimp.
“This man is innocent until proven guilty,” said Nir. “I think that when everything comes to light, my client will be exonerated of all charges.”
The state legislation that strengthened penalties against human trafficking and provided for assistance to victims was enacted on June 6, 2007, and took effect on November 1.
Among the legislation’s provisions was the creation of a new class B felony - “sex trafficking” - for perpetrators who profit from prostitution by engaging in sex trafficking. It requires those convicted of sex trafficking to register as sex offenders with the state; provides social service assistance to victims - such as temporary housing, health and mental health treatment and drug addiction treatment; and ensures that sex trafficking victims were eligible for services from the Crime Victims Compensation Board.
Denise E. O’Donnell, commissioner of the New York State Division of Criminal Justice Services, said the new law empowers police and prosecutors to effectively investigate and prosecute those who exploit girls and women in brothels, massage parlors and on erotic service Internet sites.
However, she said prosecution of both sex and labor trafficking requires a “new way of thinking,” and a willingness on the part of law enforcement to view sex cases as possibly something more than a routine prostitution, and labor cases as potentially something other than a labor law violation by the worker.
“Investigation of human trafficking requires a different way of looking at crime, a different approach to observation and surveillance, a different understanding of the relationship between prostitution and sex trafficking. Additionally, it requires increased attention to the role played by the demand for prostitution as our front line officers attempt to determine whether what they are dealing with is a promoting prostitution case or something far deeper and more insidious,” O’Donnell said.
The legislation has also resulted in 38 confirmed trafficking victims being referred to the State Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance (OTDA) for services, according to David A. Hansell, Commissioner of OTDA.
“New York’s unique approach to human trafficking ties aggressive prosecution of perpetrators to immediate and essential services to trafficking victims,” Hansell said. “This indictment and the services we are providing show that the law is working to combat the very serious problem of human trafficking.”
