Manhattan District Attorney Alvin L. Bragg, Jr., announced today the indictment of ALEX JEAN, 36, for kidnapping an 18-year-old woman outside of Covenant House, a non-profit organization that supports young people who have experiencing homelessness and trafficking. After kidnapping the survivor, JEAN raped and trafficked her.
JEAN is charged in a New York State Supreme Court indictment with two counts of Kidnapping in the First Degree; three counts of Rape in the First Degree; one count of Attempt to Commit a Criminal Sexual Act in the First Degree; one count of Sex Trafficking; and one count of Conspiracy in the Fourth Degree. [1]
“The alleged actions in this case are horrific and illustrate a deliberate attempt to prey on a young woman who was already vulnerable to exploitation,” said District Attorney Bragg. “Our youth who are at risk of trafficking deserve support and care, and we will continue to vigorously investigate and disrupt these types of abhorrent trafficking schemes. I encourage anyone who has experienced, or is aware of this type of criminal activity, to call our help line at 212.335.3400 – our experienced and trauma-informed prosecutors and investigators are here to help.”
According to court documents and statements made on the record, on April 19, 2021, JEAN approached the survivor outside of Covenant House with a co-conspirator and took her to an apartment building on East 132nd Street. He raped her repeatedly over two days.
JEAN also brought the survivor to a hotel in Brooklyn, where she was trafficked and raped by other men who were brought to the hotel room. JEAN also sought to create a backpage account for the survivor.
JEAN was extradited from Florida, where he fled after he discovered law enforcement was looking for him.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant D.A. Marcella Lupski, under the Supervision of Courtney Razner (Deputy Chief of the Human Trafficking Unit), Jonathon Junig (Chief of the Human Trafficking Unit) and Justin McNabney (Chief of the Special Victims Division). Investigative Analyst Alexa Underwood and Witness Aid Services Unit Clinical Director Melissa Martinez provided invaluable assistance.
D.A. Bragg thanked Lieutenant Amy Capogna and Joseph Azevedo of the NYPD Human Trafficking Squad.
Defendant Information
ALEX JEAN
New York, New York
Charged:
- Kidnapping in the First Degree, a class A-I felony, two counts
- Rape in the First Degree, a class B felony, three counts
- Sex Trafficking, a class B-violent felony, five counts
- Attempt to Commit the Crime of Criminal Sexual Act in the First Degree, a class C felony, one count
- Conspiracy in the Fourth Degree, a class E felony, one count
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[1] The charges contained in the indictment are merely allegations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. All factual recitations are derived from documents filed in court and statements made on the record in court.