Sex Trafficking in St. Albans, Queens, New York (2008)

What happened

The District Attorney said that, according to trial testimony, in August 2008, the 19-year-old victim was “sold” to Brown by an ex-girlfriend who was an acquaintance of the victim’s for $2,000. The defendant told the victim that she would be his “bitch” and that she would work as a prostitute in order to earn him money. Brown also told her that she was not allowed to talk to her family or friends or leave his apartment without him or else he would beat her and cut up her body to make sure that no one would know she was dead. Whenever Brown left the location, he would have someone watch the victim to make sure that she didn’t leave. Trial testimony also revealed that Brown took nude photographs of the victim in various poses and posted the photographs on Craigslist to advertise her services as a prostitute. Testimony showed that during a 12-day period in August the victim engaged in sexual acts with approximately thirty men in exchange for cash – ranging from $60 to $200 – which she turned over to Brown. Finally, on August 23, 2008, the victim managed to escape from Brown’s residence when left alone. However, the next morning, Brown and an unapprehended male found her at a location on Lefferts Avenue near Far Rockaway. Brown and the unapprehended male who was holding a gun approached her and Brown grabbed her by the wrist and said that she had to come back with him to earn him money as a prostitute before forcing her into a car. District Attorney Brown said that Brown and a co-defendant, Nino Isakadze, 21, were originally arrested on August 24, 2008, on charges of raping the victim and forcing her into prostitution. At their arraignments, bail was set at $200,000 for Brown and $50,000 for Isakadze. When the case was about to be presented to a grand jury, authorities learned that the victim had run away. Unable to locate the victim and proceed with the case in a timely fashion, the Court was forced to release the defendants without bail pursuant to Criminal Procedure Law 180.80. The victim was subsequently found on September 23, 2008, when she was arrested on a charge of loitering for the purposes of prostitution. A joint investigation by the New York City Police Department and the Queens District Attorney’s Office revealed that Brown’s brother, Devon Gordon, 27, of 656 Grassmere Terrace in Queens, had paid the victim not to testify and then hid her. Gordon has since pleaded guilty to tampering with a witness and was sentenced to a conditional discharge. Isakadze, who has been indicted on charges of first-degree rape and fourth-degree promoting prostitution, is a fugitive.