By Philip Newman
A Queens County grand jury has indicted a 27-year-old Jamaica man on multiple counts of sex trafficking, rape, promoting prostitution and other charges for allegedly forcing a 15-year-old girl into having sex in exchange for money, which the defendant allegedly pocketed, the district attorney said.
Queens DA Richard Brown identified the defendant as Lance Hamilton, 27, of Foch Boulevard,, who was arraigned May 4 before Acting Queens Supreme Court Justice Marcia Hirsch. He was charged with kidnapping, promoting prostitution, compelling prostitution, sex trafficking, assault, rape, criminal sexual act, unlawful imprisonment, menacing, aggravated harassment, criminal obstruction of breathing or blood circulation, and endangering the welfare of a child, Brown said.
Hamilton was ordered held on $750,000 bail. If convicted, Hamilton faces up to 25 year in prison,
Brown said that according to the charges, the 15-year-old victim was brought to Hamilton’s home in December 2015 and sexually assaulted by him. Hamilton then allegedly stole the victim’s belongings and identification. The defendant, over the next several months, forced her to have sex in exchange for money, which she was forced to turn mover to Hamilton, the criminal complaint said. Hamilton also posted prostitution advertisements on a website, according to Brown.
It is alleged that when the victim refused to have sex, Hamilton allegedly punched and choked her and once pointed a gun at her inside his home, the DA said.
