Four Indicted in New Jersey for Allegedly Trafficking a Minor, Forcing Her to Work as a Prostitute
| U.S. Attorney’s Office January 30, 2014 |
TRENTON, NJ—A federal grand jury in Trenton returned a superseding indictment today charging four men from New York and Pennsylvania with various offenses related to the trafficking of a minor and forcing her into prostitution for their own profit, New Jersey U.S. Attorney Paul J. Fishman announced.
The indictment charges Varian Charles, 29, aka “Bob,” of Philadelphia; Wilbur Senat, 24, aka “Wilby,” of Haverstraw, New York; Samuel Verrier, 35, aka “Dre,” of Philadelphia; and Karl Venord, 31, aka “Imme,” of Philadelphia. All four were previously charged by complaint with related offenses in July 2013 and have been detained since that time. Charles was subsequently indicted. Today’s superseding indictment adds additional charges. All four defendants will be arraigned on a date to be determined.
According to the documents filed in this case:
The minor victim met Senat in the summer of 2011 in upstate New York. Shortly after they met, Senat took her to a motel in Nyack, New York, where he forced her to engage in commercial sex acts with various individuals for which they paid Senat. Senat threatened the victim’s family if she did not leave New York with him, so she agreed, and Senat purchased tickets for himself and the minor victim to take public transportation from New York to Philadelphia.
Charles met Senat and the victim in Philadelphia, where the men told the girl she would be staying at Charles’ house to engage in prostitution. While there, the victim was forced to have sex with various individuals who paid Senat and Charles. Senat and Charles also physically abused her.
Verrier met the victim while she was at Charles’ house and took her. He then brought her to various clubs in Philadelphia, where he instructed her to solicit club patrons for sex acts in exchange for money.
In late August 2011, Verrier introduced the victim to Venord, and the pair took her to New Jersey. During the drive, the men told her they intended to blackmail an individual in New Jersey, instructing her to have sex with this individual and take photographs of him. After locating the individual outside a bank in Bordentown, New Jersey, they were unsuccessful in their attempt.
The charges and maximum penalties are as follows:
|
Count |
Defendant(s) Charged |
Maximum Potential Penalty |
|
One: conspiracy to engage in sex trafficking of children |
Charles, Senat |
Life in prison; $250,000 fine |
|
Two: sex trafficking of children |
Senat |
Life in prison (10 year minimum/15 year minimum if by force); $250,000 fine |
|
Three: conspiracy to transport minors to engage in prostitution |
Charles, Senat |
Life in prison (minimum 10 years); $250,000 fine |
|
Four: transportation of a minor to engage in prostitution |
Senat |
Life in prison (minimum 10 years); $250,000 fine |
|
Five: conspiracy to transport a minor to engage in criminal sexual activity |
Verrier, Venord |
Life in prison (minimum 10 years); $250,000 fine |
|
Six: transportation of a minor to engage in criminal sexual activity |
Verrier, Venord |
Life in prison (minimum 10 years); $250,000 fine |
U.S. Attorney Fishman credited special agents of the FBI, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Aaron T. Ford, with the investigation. The New Jersey Division of Criminal Justice also provided assistance.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sarah Wolfe in Trenton and Courtney M. Oliva in Newark.
The charges and allegations contained in the indictment are merely accusations, and the defendants are considered innocent unless and until proven guilty.