‘Unimaginable harm and trauma’: Everett man federally indicted for sex trafficking four women
An Everett man is accused of preying on, drugging, and sexually victimizing four women for his own financial gain, according to federal prosecutors.
Trevor Jones, 45, was indicted Tuesday by a federal grand jury on four counts of sex trafficking by force, fraud or coercion, the U.S. Attorney’s Office announced. Jones was arrested on related state charges on March 23 and has remained in state custody since. He will appear in federal court in Boston at a later date.
“The conduct we allege in this case is horrific,” said Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division. “No human being should ever be lured into servitude, exploited, and forced to live their lives in fear where escape seems all but impossible, but that’s exactly what we believe happened here.”
According to the federal charging documents, Jones ran a sex trafficking operation targeting victims who were suffering from substance use disorder.
Prosecutors said that Jones provided those women with controlled substances, including heroin, fentanyl and cocaine, in order to intensify their drug dependence and gain their compliance in his sex trafficking operation. Jones also prohibited the women from obtaining controlled substances from other sources and routinely confiscated their identifications and other personal items in an effort to impede their ability to leave, according to prosecutors.
Federal prosecutors said Jones required the women to earn a daily quota and provide him with all the proceeds from the commercial sex acts. Jones is also accused of enforcing his requirements by punishing the women with acts of violence, threats of violence, and withholding controlled substances from his drug-dependent victims.
“Sex trafficking is a very real and present threat in our Commonwealth. Every single day, Massachusetts residents are being subjected to unimaginable harm and trauma at the hands of traffickers,” said United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins. “My office has dedicated substantial resources and created a dedicated team of prosecutors to combat this horrific conduct, hold traffickers accountable and bring justice to victims and survivors of these awful crimes.”
The charge of sex trafficking by force, fraud or coercion provides for a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years and up to life in prison, at least five years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.
Download the FREE Boston 25 News app for breaking news alerts.
Follow Boston 25 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch Boston 25 News NOW
