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Press Release

Worcester Man Sentenced to More Than 11 Years in Federal Prison for Sex Trafficking

For Immediate Release
U.S. Attorney's Office, District of Connecticut

John H. Durham, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that MOHAMED H. ABDI, also known as “Vic,” 26, of Worcester, Massachusetts, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Janet Bond Arterton in New Haven to 135 months of imprisonment, followed by five years of supervised release, for sex trafficking.

According to court documents and statements made in court, between late December 2016 and January 5, 2017, ABDI and his girlfriend used threats, force and coercion to cause a female victim to engage in prostitution.  ABDI and his girlfriend advertised the victim’s prostitution services on Backpage.com and other websites, rented Connecticut hotel rooms where the victim engaged in prostitution, and transported the victim to engage in sexual acts with customers at the hotels and private residences in Connecticut and elsewhere.  In addition, ABDI provided the victim with heroin, but withheld the drug from the victim until after she provided sexual services to additional customers.  ABDI and his girlfriend also warned the victim not to contact police and made threats against the victim and her child.

ABDI has been detained since his arrest on related state charges on January 5, 2017.  On April 4, 2018, he pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit sex trafficking by force, fraud or coercion.

As a condition of his supervised release, ABDI will be required to register as a sex offender.

This matter was investigated by the Connecticut Human Trafficking Task Force, Federal Bureau of Investigation and Connecticut State Police, with the assistance of the Wethersfield Police Department and the Worcester Police Department.  The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Anastasia E. King.

U.S. Attorney Durham thanked the State’s Attorney for the Judicial District of Tolland and the Worcester County District Attorney’s Office for their cooperation and assistance in the prosecution of this matter.

Updated June 27, 2018

Topic
Human Trafficking