Three Men Charged with Sex Trafficking

BOSTON – Three men were arrested today on charges related to the sex trafficking of several women, including a minor.

Tyrell Gorham, a/k/a Sheek, 30, of Lewiston, Maine; Chelanjei Greene, a/k/a Young, 32, of Brockton; and Lee Young, a/k/a Chop, 32, of Brockton, were charged in a federal complaint with sex trafficking of a minor across state lines and sex trafficking through force, fraud, or coercion. 

According to the criminal complaint, an undercover law enforcement operation conducted in February 2013 identified three adult women and one minor woman as victims of a sex trafficking ring.  The investigation revealed that Gorham allegedly used social media to identify and target vulnerable women living in the Portland, Maine area, and then either lured or transported them to the Greater Boston area where Gorham, Greene, and Young would force them to work as prostitutes, posting advertisements for their services on Backpage.com.  The victims were required to have sex with 10 to 15 customers per day and turn over their earnings to Gorham, Greene, and Young.

The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Boston Child Exploitation Task Force (CETF).  Significant investigative assistance was provided by the FBI; the Boston Police Department Child Abuse and Human Trafficking Units; the Arlington, Malden, Norwood, Revere, Saugus, Woburn, and Brockton Police Departments; the Massachusetts State Police; and the Massachusetts State Police Human Trafficking Unit of the Massachusetts Attorney General’s Office.

United States Attorney Carmen M. Ortiz and Vincent B. Lisi, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, made the announcement today.  The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Emily Cummings and Timothy Moran of Ortiz’s Organized Crime and Gang Unit.

The details contained in the complaint are allegations.  The defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.