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Danny St. Louis, age 43, of Bay Shore, and Samantha Wimmer, age 37, of Central Islip, were arraigned on a total of 33 criminal charges in Suffolk County Court on Thursday, April 11.
Prosecutors said St. Louis advertised and sold women for sex several times to various buyers between March 2023 and March 2024, with Wimmer serving as photographer for pictures that were used in his ads.
After taking one victim’s ID and cell phone to prevent her from leaving, St. Louis maintained control over her using heroin and crack cocaine, according to investigators.
On Sunday, March 3, 2024, St. Louis reportedly arranged to have a 20-year-old woman meet him at a hotel room that he and Wimmer were staying in. He then gave her drugs and barred her from leaving for days, prompting her family to file a missing person report, prosecutors said.
At one point, he accused the woman of stealing crack cocaine from him and forced her to undress, take a shower, and have sex with him as punishment, prosecutors allege. Wimmer is accused of filming the rape in order to use the footage in an ad for prostitution.
The 20-year-old victim finally managed to escape on Tuesday, March 5. After fleeing the hotel, she called her family, and they notified police.
St. Louis and Wimmer were arrested on Thursday, March 14 after Wimmer allegedly agreed to provide a buyer with sex and drugs in exchange for money.
Prosecutors said St. Louis also raped a 13-year-old girl numerous times after meeting the victim through a mutual acquaintance in early 2023. The alleged abuse continued until October 2023, when the teen ran away from a residential drug treatment facility and was found in St. Louis’ hotel room.
Following that incident, he was arrested on suspicion of endangering the welfare of a child and unlawful dealing with a child, both misdemeanors. However, he was released from custody while the case proceeded as the charges are not bail eligible.
“Sex trafficking a human being is heinous and intolerable, and these are serious allegations that we look forward to proving in court,” said Suffolk County District Attorney Raymond Tierney. “I am committed to ensuring that our vulnerable populations are protected from predators who seek to violate and exploit women and children, by whatever lawful means available.”
St. Louis is facing a total of 28 charges, including first-degree rape, sex trafficking, and strangulation. He is being held without bail at the Suffolk County jail.
Wimmer is charged with five counts, including sex trafficking and promoting prostitution. She was ordered held on $1 million bond.
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