East Hartford man sentenced to over 11 years for sex trafficking an underage girl through online ads
An East Hartford man who conspired with another man to sex traffic a 16-year-old girl was sentenced Thursday to more than 11 years in federal prison.
Joel Lindsay, known as “Joey Guapo,” was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Vanessa L. Bryant in Hartford to 135 months in federal prison for child sex trafficking after he brought the teen to an East Windsor hotel in October 2019 and arranged to have people pay to have sex with the minor, according to court records and the U.S. Attorney Office.
Lindsay, a 24-year-old citizen of Jamaica whose last known address was in East Hartford, worked alongside his associate Joseph Pina to bring the girl to the hotel where they photographed her and posted her photos online, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
The men arranged “prostitution appointments” for her, knowing she was a minor, and Lindsay collected all the money that was paid to her.
Lindsay and Pina both reportedly sexually assaulted the girl, knowing she was under the age of 18. She also told investigators Lindsay physically assaulted her, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
Pina pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit sex trafficking of a minor and was sentenced in March to 96 months in federal prison, the U.S. District Attorney’s Office said.
Lindsay has been detained since his arrest on August 20, 2020, and pleaded guilty to sex trafficking of a minor on October 15. He faces immigration proceedings when he completes his prison term, according to the U.S. District Attorney’s Office.
