Essex County Man Convicted for Sex Trafficking Minor, Transportation to Engage in Prostitution, and Other Offenses

TRENTON, N.J. - An Essex County, New Jersey, man was convicted on charges of sex trafficking and prostitution-related offenses, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced today.

Amin Sharif, 49, of Newark, was convicted on July 25, 2024, of one count of attempted transportation of a victim with intent to engage in prostitution, one count of sex trafficking of a minor, one count of use of an interstate facility to promote unlawful activity, one count of transporting a victim with intent to engage in prostitution, and one count of persuading a victim to travel to engage in prostitution. Sharif was convicted following a seven-day jury trial before U.S. District Judge Michael A. Shipp in Trenton federal court.

According to documents filed in this case and the evidence at trial:

In January 2021, the FBI began investigating Sharif for transporting and attempting to transport women and minors from various states to New Jersey and elsewhere for the purpose of engaging in commercial sex acts. Sharif recruited four females from New York, Pennsylvania, Idaho, and Utah. Sharif used five social media accounts on Instagram and Facebook to recruit and entice victims, creating personas, and calling himself different names: Dallas Love, Chance, Razzile Dazzile, Truman Peterman, and "Daddy." He promised certain victims housing, payment of bills and expenses, and the potential to earn up to thousands of dollars a day. Sharif advertised the minor victim online offering her for 32 sexual services.

When Sharif committed these offenses, he was on supervised release for a prior conviction for conspiracy to transport a minor to engage in prostitution, for which he was sentenced to a 10-year prison term.

The sex trafficking of a minor charge carries a mandatory minimum penalty of 10 years in prison and a maximum penalty of life in prison. The transportation of a victim with intent to engage in prostitution charges each carry a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison, and the persuading a victim to travel to engage in prostitution charge carries a maximum penalty of 60 years in prison. The use of an interstate facility to promote unlawful activity charge carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison. Each count also carries a potential fine of up to $250,000. Sentencing is scheduled for Nov. 5, 2024.

U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of the FBI Newark Field Office, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge James E. Dennehy, with the investigation leading to the conviction. He also thanked the FBI's Offices in Rochester, New York; Houston, Texas; and Salt Lake City, Utah; and the Dansville Police Department for their assistance.

The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Farhana C. Melo and Chelsea D. Coleman of the Criminal Division in Newark.