A Jamaica man has been arraigned for allegedly recruiting a 15-year-old girl into prostitution, prosecutors announced Thursday.
On Aug. 7, Tyquan Henderson, 21, was charged with compelling prostitution, sex trafficking, second-degree promoting prostitution, third-degree rape, third-degree criminal sexual act and endangering the welfare of a child. He is currently being held on $500,000 bail and is due to return to court on Aug. 22.
If convicted, Henderson faces up to 25 years in prison.
According to the charges, in May of this year, Henderson met the victim, who was 15-years-old at the time, through a friend. When the victim turned 16, she and Henderson allegedly engaged in oral sex and sexual intercourse.
During this time, prosecutors said, Henderson forced the victim to call him “Daddy” and then forced her into performing oral sex or engaging in sexual intercourse with other men for money.
Law enforcement sources said that Henderson would allegedly threatened the victim verbally with harm if she didn’t make enough money for him and wanted her to make $500 a night prostituting herself.
The situation came to light when the victim visited a friend on June 24 and her friend’s mother called the police, authorities said.
“The defendant in this case is accused of profiting from prostitution by forcing a young teenage girl into having sex dates with men for cash,” said District Attorney Richard A. Brown. “Once again, I want to emphasize that prostitution is not a victimless crime and that sex trafficking is an incessant act of brutality and degradation that scars its victims for life. The defendant now faces a lengthy term of incarceration for his alleged actions.”
