Newark, New Jersey Man Sentenced to 20 Years in Prison for Sex Trafficking by Force and Firearms Distribution Conspiracy

CAMDEN, NJ—A Newark, New Jersey man who ran a prostitution business that operated in Newark, Irvington, Elizabeth, and Atlantic City, New Jersey, was sentenced today to 20 years in prison for sex trafficking and conspiring to deal firearms without a license, United States Attorney Paul J. Fishman announced.

Kasiem Brown, 37, previously pled guilty before United States Senior District Judge Joseph H. Rodriguez to two counts of an Indictment: sex trafficking of a minor girl by force, fraud and coercion (Count Two) and conspiring to deal in firearms without a license (Count 19). Judge Rodriguez also imposed the sentence today in Camden federal court.

According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:

Brown operated an illegal prostitution business in New Jersey and elsewhere from July 2005 to October 11, 2006. During his plea hearing, Brown admitted to recruiting, enticing, harboring, providing, obtaining, and transporting seven minor girls and nine adult women victims to various cities within New Jersey to engage in prostitution. Brown transported the girls and women to various venues to engage in prostitution for him, including strip clubs, sex parties in private homes, and various “tracks,” locations known for prostitution activity.

Brown also admitted that he forced his victims to engage in prostitution by force—including by hitting, kicking, punching, beating them with belts, and sexual violence. He took the money the girls and women made and in turn, provided them with housing, food, clothing, cell phones, hotel rooms, and all other items necessary to work as prostitutes.

Brown also stated that he obtained and provided false and fraudulent identification documents to his victims.

At various times from July 2003 to October 11, 2006, Brown illegally possessed firearms in order to protect himself, his victims, and the cash proceeds generated from his prostitution business. He also admitted to paying for 13 firearms in Alabama using two different straw purchasers, and transporting the firearms to New Jersey.

In addition to the prison term, Judge Rodriguez sentenced Brown to a lifetime term of supervised release. Brown was also ordered to pay a $12,000 fine and to forfeit his car, money, firearms and ammunition, cameras, and other items seized during the course of the investigation.

In imposing the sentence, Judge Rodriguez said, “What happened to the victims, it really is horrendous,” adding, “These women were essentially destroyed.”

U.S. Attorney Fishman credited special agents of the FBI’s Atlantic City Resident Agency, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Michael B. Ward in Newark, and special agents of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Newark Field Division, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Matthew W. Horace, for the investigation leading to today’s sentence. He also thanked special agents of the ATF Atlanta Field Division, the ATF Nashville Field Division, and officers from the numerous local police departments who assisted in the investigation—including the Egg Harbor Township Police Department, Atlantic City Police Department, East Orange Police Department, Newark Police Department, Irvington Police Department, and Elizabeth Police Department. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Diana Carrig and Deborah Prisinzano Mikkelsen of the United States Attorney’s Office Criminal Division in Camden.

Defense counsel: Brian O’Malley, Esq., Haddon Heights, N.J.