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Hartford County resident Joseph Pina, of East Hartford, was sentenced to 96 months (eight years) in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, for a sex trafficking offense involving a 16-year-old girl.
US Attorney Leonard Boyle said that in October 2019, Pina and associate Joel Lindsay, a citizen of Jamaica, recruited and transported the teenage girl to engage in commercial sex acts.
Specifically, on Oct. 17, 2019, Pina, Lindsay, and a third co-conspirator picked up the teen and took her to an East Windsor hotel in Hartford County.
According to court documents, at the hotel, they took photos of the minor and posted them on a website to advertise sexual services. Pina and Lindsay then arranged different prostitution appointments for the teen.
On Oct. 17, 2019, the teen earned at least $100 through prostitution appointments, which was all given to Lindsay.
Peace said that over the next several days, Pina and Lindsay posted additional advertisements on the website and the teen saw additional prostitution customers at different Connecticut hotels, again giving all of the money earned to Lindsay.
Prosecutors noted that the investigation found that Pina and Lindsay also engaged in sexual activity with the teen, despite the knowledge that she was under the age of 18. The victim also told investigators that Lindsay physically assaulted her.
Pina pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit sex trafficking of a minor on Oct. 6, 2021. He had been released on bond and was remanded into custody at the conclusion of his sentencing.
Lindsay pleaded guilty to the same charge and is scheduled to be sentenced on Wednesday, April 13. He’s been detained since his arrest on Aug. 20, 2020.
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