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Javesh Persaud, 34, of Shirley, was sentenced to 12 years behind bars in Suffolk County Court on Wednesday, Dec. 11, after pleading guilty to sex trafficking and related charges.
Prosecutors said Persaud met the victim in July 2023 on Omegle, an online chat platform. She had been sleeping in New York City subways and told Persaud she was homeless.
Persaud offered her food, clean clothes, a shower, and a place to sleep. He then drove the victim to a parking lot in Shirley and directed her to sleep in a broken-down car.
The next day, Persaud began forcing her to engage in sexual acts with strangers in exchange for money. When the victim resisted, he threatened her with violence, including strangling her until she complied, prosecutors said.
As part of his guilty plea, Persaud admitted that he promised the victim continued food and shelter in his car if she engaged in sex work and gave him the proceeds. He also forced the victim to engage in sex acts with him.
On September 1, 2023, the victim contacted the National Human Trafficking Hotline while Persaud was away. Suffolk County Police officers recovered the teen and arrested Persaud a short time later.
“This defendant took advantage of the victim who was in a vulnerable situation and subjected her to cruel and inhumane acts for his own personal gain,” said Suffolk County DA Raymond Tierney.
“This sentence not only gives justice to the victim but also sends a message that human trafficking will not be tolerated in Suffolk County.”
In November, Persaud pleaded guilty to the following counts:
- Sex trafficking by force (felony)
- Two counts of criminal sexual act (felony)
- Three counts of sex trafficking (felony)
- Two counts of promoting prostitution (felony)
If you or someone you know is the victim of sex trafficking, contact the National Human Trafficking Hotline at 1-888-373-7888 or text “HELP” or “INFO” to 233733.
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