“Arthur Dawson ranks among the most violent traffickers this Office has ever prosecuted,” said D.A. Bragg. “Along with Daniel Washington, Dawson operated a horrific enterprise recruiting girls and young women to work in prostitution for their personal gain. They used violence and threats to keep these women under their control, even forbidding one from seeing her infant son if she did not earn enough money. I am in awe of the strength of these young survivors to take the stand and testify to these deeply traumatic events, and sincerely thank them for their bravery.”

“Walter Melvin allegedly preyed on and took advantage of two teenage girls in a deliberate plan to engage them in prostitution,” said District Attorney Bragg. “Nobody should have to endure the type of psychological, physical and emotional abuse that these young survivors experienced. Our Office is focused on prosecuting those who engage in this horrific behavior, while also supporting the survivors throughout these cases and helping them heal.”

“Again and again, we see traffickers target runaway children in our busiest transit hubs and use various forms of coercion to force them to perform commercial sexual acts,” said D.A. Bragg.

“These horrific allegations detail an abhorrent sex trafficking scheme that preyed on vulnerable people so the ringleaders could turn a profit,” said District Attorney Bragg.

“New York is safer when survivors and witnesses feel comfortable reporting crimes. But individuals involved in the commercial sex trade often feel reluctant to report crimes, because they are afraid they will be prosecuted themselves for prostitution offenses,” said District Attorney Bragg.