Press Release

Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz today announced that a 29-year-old Queens man has been charged with sex trafficking and other crimes for allegedly holding 2 teenage girls against their will at a Jamaica, Queens, hotel last month and forcing them to have sex with strangers for money and then pocketing the cash. The defendant was charged with the new sex trafficking of a child law enacted just over a year ago.

District Attorney Katz said, “The defendant is accused of having sex with one teenager and forcing both girls into having sex with strangers for cash – money that he pocketed for himself. The youngsters are now safe and away from the clutches of this alleged sex trafficker, who is accused of using brute force and threats to control and exploit the teenagers. The defendant will be held accountable for his alleged actions.”

The District Attorney identified the defendant as Tyrone Miles, 29, of 110th Avenue in Jamaica, Queens. Miles was arraigned this afternoon before Queens Criminal Court Judge Jerry Iannece on a complaint charging him with 2 counts each of compelling prostitution, sex trafficking, sex trafficking of a child, promoting prostitution in the second degree and rape in the third degree. Judge Iannece set the return date for August 8, 2020. If convicted, Miles faces 10 to 50 years in prison.

District Attorney Katz said that, according to the charges, on June 5, 2020, Miles and the teens, 16 and 17, entered the JFK Hotel located at 154-10 South Conduit Avenue, along with an unapprehended female and stayed there through at least June 12, 2020. While at the above location, the defendant allegedly engaged in sexual intercourse with the 16-year-old girl. He later told the teenager that she would be having sex with other men for cash. When the girl refused, the defendant allegedly told her “I will kill you.” He further instructed her to tell the strangers she had sex with that she was born in June 2000 – making her legally old enough to consent to sex.

According to the complaint, said DA Katz, while at the hotel, the 16-year-old girl had intercourse with several men in exchange for cash that the defendant pocketed. He refused to give the teenager any of the money. When the victim attempted to leave the location, she was allegedly struck in the face and body by the defendant causing substantial pain and bruising to her body. As a result of the assault, the teenage girl feared that if she didn’t comply with the defendant’s demands he would hurt her – or perhaps do even worse.

Continuing, said DA Katz, the second victim, who is 17, was also allegedly told by the defendant that she would be having sex with men for money at the same hotel. During her time at the hotel, the 17-year-old had repeated sex dates with strangers. The money was allegedly collected the unapprehended female, who would later give the cash to Miles. The 17-year-old, just like the other victim, was never given any money nor was she fed by the defendant or the unapprehended female. This victim also feared that if she didn’t comply with the defendant’s demands that Miles would beat her or worse.

Continuing, the DA said, according to the charges, the 2 victims were kept separated from each other. Receipts obtained during the investigation from the JFK Inn indicate that the defendant, who provided identification to the hotel, rented room #333 between June 5, 2020 and June 12, 2020. In addition, video surveillance obtained from the JFK Inn, depicts the defendant and an unapprehended female walking into the location with the 2 teenage girls on June 5, 2020 and additional video surveillance depicts the defendant and the 16-year-old girl walking in and out of Room #333 on June 12, 2020 and at least one unidentified male entering the room.

The investigations were conducted by Detective Judith Moreno of the New York City Police Department’s Vice Enforcement Division Human Trafficking Team, under the supervision of Lieutenant Amy Capogna.

Assistant District Attorney Kiran Cheema, of the District Attorney’s Human Trafficking Bureau, is prosecuting the case with the assistance of Paralegal Roxana Comanescu, under the supervision of Assistant District Attorney Jessica Melton, Bureau Chief, and under the overall supervision of Executive Assistant District Attorney for Investigations Gerard A. Brave.