Manhattan District Attorney Alvin L. Bragg, Jr., today announced the indictment of NICKOLOUS CHARLES, 21; BRIANNA MORENO, 20; ALEJANDRINA VENTURA, 24; and WILSON-MARIANO VENTURA, 23; for conspiring to traffic a 14-year-old girl from November 2023 to February 2024. All four are charged in a New York State Supreme Court indictment with Conspiracy in the Fourth Degree and Promoting Prostitution in the Second Degree. CHARLES, A. VENTURA, and W. VENTURA are additionally charged with Sex Trafficking of a Child. MORENO and CHARLES are charged with Promoting Prostitution in the Third Degree.[1]

“As alleged, these individuals targeted a 14-year-old who frequently ran away from home, abusing her and profiting off of her,” said District Attorney Bragg. “The child’s age is exceedingly common in human trafficking cases and illustrates why my office is fighting to eliminate the statute of limitations for sex trafficking. This young girl has been put through an unimaginably terrible ordeal, and it is no wonder why it might take survivors more than a very narrow five years to come forward.”

According to court documents and statements made on the record, beginning on November 10, 2023, the four defendants conspired to traffic a 14-year-old child who frequently ran away from home. The defendants posted prostitution ads on various escort websites, featuring nude or half-dressed photos of the child. MORENO and CHARLES set up sexual encounters with the child using various phone numbers including their own, and paid defendants A. VENTURA and W. VENTURA proceeds from that prostitution in the form of “rent” to stay in and work out of the Venturas’ Harlem apartment. The defendants texted each other and the child about the prostitution scheme, set up and provided a place for the encounters, and collected proceeds from the commercial sexual acts.

Investigators with the NYPD and the Manhattan D.A.’s Human Trafficking Unit launched an investigation by tracing the phone numbers associated with the online advertisements.

Assistant D.A. Katherine Sullivan is handling the prosecution of this case under the supervision of Assistant D.A.s Courtney Razner (Deputy Chief of the Human Trafficking Unit) and Jonathan Junig (Chief of the Human Trafficking Unit) and Executive Assistant D.A. Justin McNabney (Chief of the Special Victims Division), with the assistance of analyst Janine Nassar.

District Attorney Bragg thanked the NYPD Human Trafficking Squad, particularly Detective Paul Mastronardi.

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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.