Texas Man Indicted for Sex Trafficking of a Child, Promoting Prostitution

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Wednesday, September 11, 2024

Texas Man Indicted for Sex Trafficking of a Child, Promoting Prostitution

Defendant Allegedly Drove Two Teens to New York From Dallas, Forced Them to Engage in Prostitution in East New York; Had his Nickname Tattooed on Their Faces

Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez today announced that a Texas man has been arraigned on an indictment in which he is charged with sex trafficking of a child, sex trafficking, assault, promoting prostitution and related charges for allegedly forcing a 17-year-old girl and an 18-year-old girl to engage in prostitution and giving him the proceeds.

District Attorney Gonzalez said, "This defendant allegedly subjected two young women to horrific abuse, treating them as his personal property by branding them with his nickname and forcing them into a life of exploitation and violence. The brutality these victims endured is appalling, and we will work diligently to ensure that he is held accountable for the inhumanity he inflicted."

The District Attorney identified the defendant as Donald Roberson, 29, of Dallas, Texas. He was arraigned today before Brooklyn Supreme Court Justice Danny Chun on a 17-count indictment in which he is charged with sex trafficking of a child, sex trafficking, second-, third-and fourth-degree promoting prostitution, second- and third-degree assault, fourth-degree criminal possession of a weapon, third-degree criminal sexual act, sexual misconduct, and third-degree sexual abuse. He was ordered held without bail and to return to court on October 23, 2024.

The District Attorney said that, according to the investigation, the 17-year-old victim met the defendant, who she knew from Instagram, in Dallas, Texas on August 10, 2024. She and the 18-year-old victim agreed to leave with the defendant, who then drove to New York, stopping several times a long the way. On August 16, 2024, they arrived in New York and went to the Hotel Sunborn in East New York where the defendant rented a room. The two victims were then allegedly forced to walk the track in East New York and engage in prostitution, with all of the proceeds going to the defendant.

On August 20, 2024, the defendant allegedly took the 17-year-old victim to a tattoo parlor in East New York and had his nickname, "Blue Cheese," tattooed on her face. The 18-year-old also had "Blue Cheese" tattooed on her face. It is alleged that later that day, in McCarren Park, the defendant argued with the 17-year-old victim, punched her in the face, pulled her hair and kicked her in the face causing her to suffer a seizure. He also allegedly stabbed her about the side of her body with a pair of scissors.

Furthermore, it is alleged, on August 22, 2024 the victim was treated for a viral throat infection at Kings County Hospital caused by allegedly being forced to perform sex acts. After leaving the hospital, the defendant allegedly looked for the 18-year-old in East New York and when he found her he allegedly choked her and punched her about the face until she was crying and unable to breathe.

On August 23, it is alleged, the 17-year-old and the defendant allegedly had an argument at the hotel and she went to his vehicle and locked herself inside of it. The defendant allegedly shattered a car window, raining glass down on to the victim who was left with cuts. He then allegedly took a torch lighter to her leg and burned her.

The victim then managed to text someone back in Texas for help, giving him the name and address of the hotel and the room number. Officers from the 75^th Precinct responded, found her in the parking lot and arrested the defendant.

The case was investigated by New York City Police Department Detective Denis Regimbal and Detective Mark Shackel of the joint NYPD/FBI Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force, under the supervision of Sergeant Kevin Kavanaugh, Lieutenant Amy Capogna, Lieutenant Joseph Picarello, and Captain Maripily Clase, and the overall supervision of Chief Carlos Ortiz.

The case is being prosecuted by Senior Assistant District Attorney Alexandra Iorio, of the District Attorney's Human Trafficking Unit, under the supervision of Assistant District Attorney Mary Monahan, Deputy Unit Chief and Assistant District Attorney David Weiss, Unit Chief, and the overall supervision of Assistant District Attorney Miss Gregory, Chief of the Special Victims Bureau.

An indictment is an accusatory instrument and not proof of a defendant's guilt.

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