UNIONPORT, the Bronx (PIX11) — Three alleged pimps, along with a manager, front desk clerk and security guard of a hotel in the Bronx where a 16-year-old girl allegedly had 100 “dates” in a year were indicted on charges ranging from enterprise corruption to sex trafficking of a child on Thursday, according to the Bronx District Attorney Darcel Clark and New York City Police Commissioner Keechant Sewell.
The alleged operation inside the 7 Days Hotel on Bruckner Boulevard took place from around August 2019 through November 2022, according to the Bronx District Attorney’s Office.
“This scheme involves brutal pimps, and hotel employees who allegedly were paid to look away from the despicable acts of degradation against teenage girls and facilitate them,” said Clark. “The 7 Days Hotel allegedly profited from the human trafficking of girls and young women, and now employees will be held accountable. Hotels should be regulated in a manner where they cannot host criminal activity for years without bearing responsibility.”
One of the sex trafficking victims was just 14 years old when she began working for the suspects, officials said. One of the suspects, Akeem Lee, 34, allegedly hit and choked the victim and threatened her life if she ever went to the police. According to officials, around 16 young women and girls were trafficked by the suspects. Seven of them were underage, officials said.
An undercover NYPD officer posed as a pimp during the undercover investigation, officials said. The NYPD officer and one of the suspects, Marvin Flint, 32, were allegedly provided rooms at a discounted rate if they gave cash to the hotel employees.
The manager, 45-year-old Robert Olaguible, the front desk clerk, Golam Rabbani, 27, and the security guard Patrick Walker, 51, allegedly enabled the acts of prostitution by not checking IDs of the undercover officer and Flint, nor the IDs of the females, officials said.
The hotel also did not have a human trafficking victims’ hotline number posted inside in accordance with New York state laws, officials said.
Anthony Reyes, 31, Lee, Flint, Rabbani, Olaguibel and Walker were arrested on a slew of charges in an 80-count indictment for enterprise corruption, sex trafficking, compelling prostitution, promoting prostitution, intimidating a victim or witness, conspiracy, endangering the welfare of a child, falsifying business records and other related charges. The Bronx District Attorney’s Office said two of the alleged pimps were also charged with rape.
“The NYPD and our law enforcement partners share an unwavering commitment to protecting the survivors of sex trafficking, one of society’s most heinous crimes. And we will continue to ensure that anyone who seeks to profit through the abuse and exploitation of other people – especially our youth – is held fully accountable,” said Sewell.
