New Britain Man Sentenced to More Than 25 Years in Federal Prison for Sex Trafficking of Minors

David B. Fein, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, and Lanny A. Breuer, Assistant Attorney General for the Criminal Division of the Department of Justice, announced that JARELL SANDERSON, 31, of New Britain, was sentenced today by United States District Judge Mark R. Kravitz in New Haven to 310 months of imprisonment, followed by five years of supervised release, for the sex trafficking of two minor girls in 2009.

According to court documents and statements made in court, SANDERSON and co-defendant Hassanah Delia recruited two 14-year-old girls to work as prostitutes. In July 2009, SANDERSON and Delia transported the girls to hotels in Hartford and East Hartford where the girls engaged in sexual conduct with men in exchange for money that was paid either to SANDERSON or Delia. The men who paid to engage in sexual conduct with the girls had responded to an advertisement placed on a website by SANDERSON by calling a phone that was answered by Delia, who then set up appointments for the girls.

“This lengthy and appropriate prison sentence should send a loud and unequivocal message to those who victimize women and children through prostitution and trafficking schemes, as well as who patronize these businesses, and the newspapers and web sites that receive payment for advertising prostitution services,” stated U.S. Attorney Fein. “The federal penalties for the sex trafficking of minors are appropriately severe, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office and our law enforcement partners are committed to prosecuting these crimes and seeking lengthy sentences. I commend the FBI, East Hartford Police and the Department of Justice’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section for the coordinated effort that has brought this defendant to justice.”

On January 20, 2011, SANDERSON pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit sex trafficking of children and two counts of sex trafficking of children. On December 7, 2010, Delia, of East Hartford, pleaded guilty to two counts of sex trafficking by force, fraud, or coercion. She is scheduled to be sentenced on June 23, 2011.

SANDERSON will be required to pay restitution to the minor victims in an amount to be determined after further court proceedings.

U.S. Attorney Fein noted that federal prisoners are required to serve at least 85 percent of their sentenced term of imprisonment and are not eligible for parole.

This matter was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the East Hartford Police Department. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney David E. Novick and Trial Attorney Alecia Riewerts Wolak of the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section of the Department of Justice.