By Naeisha Rose
A 29-year-old man from Jamaica pleaded guilty last week to sex trafficking a 14-year-old girl into prostitution, the Queens district attorney said.
Reagan “Flex” Conception pleaded guilty to only one count of sex trafficking in Queens Criminal Court April 12 before Supreme Court Judge Peter Vallone in Kew Gardens.
In the fall of 2016, Conception forced the then 14-year-old to have sex with him on multiple occasions and then with various other men for money that he then pocketed, according to Queens DA Richard Brown.
When the victim did not comply with his demands, he threatened her with physical violence and then physically assaulted her until she engaged in prostitution from September 2016 to November 2016, said Brown.
Conception was arraigned in June 2017 on a 76-count indictment of sex trafficking, rape, kidnapping, criminal sexual act, compelling prostitution, promoting prostitution, assault and endangering the welfare of a child.
“The defendant profited from prostitution by forcing a teenage girl into having sex dates with men for money,” Brown said.
If Conception had not confessed, but was convicted of his crimes, he would have faced up to 25 years in prison. Instead he faces an indeterminate term of six to 12 years in prison at his sentencing May 9, according to Vallone.
“Luckily, this young girl was freed, but unfortunately she will have to live with this horrible experience for the rest of her life,” said Brown. “Prostitution is not a victimless crime and sex trafficking is an incessant act of brutality and degradation. The sentence imposed today by the court punishes the defendant for his criminal acts.”
Reach reporter Naeisha Rose by e-mail at nrose
