ROCHESTER, NY—U.S. Attorney William J. Hochul, Jr. announced today that Brandon McNeal, 24, of Rochester, NY, was charged by a criminal complaint with sex trafficking a minor. The charge carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in prison, a maximum sentence of life and a $1,000,000 fine.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Melissa Marangola, who is handling the case, stated that according the criminal complaint, McNeal advertised the services of a 14 year old minor he was acquainted with on the website Backpage.com. The advertisements resulted in the 14-year-old minor committing commercial sex acts.

McNeal appeared in court today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Marian W. Payson for a detention hearing. The defendant was released and will return to court on November, 17 2015 at 9:00 a.m. for a status conference.

The criminal complaint is the culmination of an investigation on the part of the Federal Bureau of Investigation Child Exploitation Task Force, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Adam S. Cohen. The task force includes members of the FBI, Monroe County Sheriff’s Office, Rochester Police Department and Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Homeland Security Investigations.