Rochester Man Sentenced In Sex Trafficking Charge

CONTACT:      Barbara Burns
PHONE:         (716) 843-5817
FAX:            (716) 551-3051

ROCHESTER, N.Y. — U.S. Attorney William J. Hochul, Jr., announced today that Brandon McNeal, 24, of Rochester, NY, who was convicted of conspiracy to commit sex trafficking of a minor, was sentenced to 108 months in prison by Chief U.S. District Judge Frank P. Geraci, Jr.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Tiffany H. Lee, who handled the case, stated that McNeal conspired with others to recruit a minor female, knowing she was under the age of 18, to engage in commercial sex acts. Between July and August of 2015, the defendant had the child work for him as a prostitute. McNeal posted ads for the girl on Backpage.com, an internet classified advertising website. The defendant also arranged for the child to meet customers at a Motel 6 and paid for the hotel room.

The sentencing is the culmination of an investigation on the part of the Federal Bureau of Investigation's Child Exploitation Task Force, which includes the Rochester Police Department, the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office, and Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Homeland Security Investigations.