Two Rochester Men Indicted in Sex Trafficking Case

ROCHESTER, NY—U.S. Attorney William J. Hochul, Jr. announced today that a federal grand jury in Rochester has returned a two-count indictment charging Daniel Tanck, 31, and Robert Palermo, 29, both of Rochester, New York, with conspiracy to commit sex trafficking of a minor and sex trafficking of a minor. Conspiracy to commit sex trafficking of a minor carries a mandatory penalty of life in prison and a fine of $250,000. Sex trafficking of a minor carries a mandatory minimum penalty of 10 years in prison and a maximum penalty of life and a $250,000 fine.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Tiffany H. Lee, who is handling the case, stated that according to the criminal complaint, a 14-year-old victim reported that Tanck and Palermo placed an ad on Backpage.com for her to engage in prostitution activities. According to the victim, the defendants took pictures of her for the Backpage.com ad at their residence on Emerson Street in Rochester. Tanck and Palermo then posted the advertisement using Tanck’s computer. The victim alleged that both Tanck and Palermo knew that she was 14 years of age.

The criminal complaint is the culmination of an investigation on the part of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Cyber Crimes Task Force, which includes the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office, under the direction of Sheriff Patrick O’Flynn; the Rochester Police Department, under the direction of Chief James Sheppard; special agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Richard M. Frankel; and the Monroe County District Attorney’s Office under the direction of Sandra Doorley.

The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation, and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.