Photo Courtesy of The Hope Line
Jones is set to be sentenced to 3-1/3 to 10 years in prison.
By Forum Staff
A 22-year-old Jamaica Queens man has pleaded guilty to sex trafficking for forcing a 15-year-old girl into having sex earlier this year in exchange for money that he pocketed.
“The defendant has pleaded guilty to having threatened and forced a teenage girl into having sex dates with men for money. I want to stress that prostitution is not a victimless crime. Sex trafficking is an incessant act of brutality and degradation. This teenage girl was able to get away, but she will have to live with the horror of this experience for the rest of her life,” said District Attorney Richard brown.
Hakim Jones, of 118th Road in pleaded guilty to sex trafficking this week before Queens Supreme Court Justice Robert Schwartz, who indicated that he would sentence the defendant to an indeterminate term of three and one-third to ten years in prison at his scheduled sentencing on January 11, 2017.
According to the charges, the 15-year-old victim left a group home in Manhattan with a friend in January 2016 and was picked up by a man and taken to a location in Queens.
The teenager was introduced to Jones and at that time, who told the young girl of his intentions. “You’re gonna be my bitch” was how he introduced himself and refused to let her leave.
Jones took numerous photographs of the teenager and used them to solicit sexual favors for money after he posted them in advertisements on Backpage.com.
Authorities say that for several weeks the teenager was forced to have sex in exchange for money in hotels in Queens and other boroughs throughout New York City, as well as in Long Island.
The girl turned over all money she collected to Jones, who threatened her with physical injury constantly, even telling her that he had a gun.
In March when the teenager resisted having 17 dates lined up for her, the defendant punched her in the mouth causing bleeding and swelling.
