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Joel Lindsay, who last resided in East Hartford, was sentenced on Thursday, Sept. 22, to more than 11 years in prison after pleading guilty to sex trafficking of a minor on Oct. 15, 2021, according to Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut.
Lindsay conspired with an associate, Joseph Pina, to recruit and transport a 16-year-old girl to engage in commercial sex acts in October of 2019, the US Attorney's Office said.
On Oct. 17, 2019, Lindsay, Pina, and another individual took the girl to a hotel in East Windsor, where they took photographs of her and posted them on a website to advertise sexual services, according to the report.
Lindsay and Pina arranged prostitution appointments for the victim, and Lindsay took the funds that were paid for the appointments, Avery said.
Over the next few days, Lindsay and Pina posted more advertisements on the website and arranged appointments at a hotel in Windsor Locks, according to the announcement.
The victim gave the money to Lindsay, Avery said.
The US Attorney's Office said investigators also learned that Lindsay and Pina engaged in sexual activity with the victim.
The victim also told investigators that Lindsay physically assaulted her, Avery reported.
Lindsay has been detained since he was arrested on Aug. 20, 2020, according to the report.
The US Attorney's Office said Pina pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit sex trafficking of a minor and was sentenced on March 2 to about eight years in prison.
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