Nine individuals have been indicted in a child sex trafficking case concerning a teenage girl discovered last month on a vessel moored at a New York marina after a nearly month-long absence.
According to court spokesperson Timothy Finnerty, the seven males and two women entered not guilty pleas during their arraignments in Suffolk County court in Riverhead on Thursday.
They are confronted with multiple charges, including child sex trafficking, kidnapping, rape, and endangerment of a child’s welfare, according to online court documents.
Prosecutors informed the judge that the offenders exploited a susceptible 14-year-old, sexually assaulting her repeatedly and trafficking her for prostitution, according to Newsday.
The minor, whose identity is withheld by The Associated Press, was missing for approximately 25 days.
On December 9, she was captured on surveillance footage departing her residence in Long Island, a suburban area east of New York City, and entering a vehicle. On January 3, she was ultimately located by her father on a yacht moored at a marina in Islip.
The father informed local news organisations that he received an anonymous tip regarding his daughter’s whereabouts following his social media post about her missing, in which he offered a reward of up to $15,000.
Representatives from the Suffolk County District Attorney’s office, responsible for prosecuting the case, did not reply to emails and messages requesting comment this week.
Among Thursday’s defendants was Daniel Burke, a Long Island man who prosecutors say was among the men who had sex with the teen. He faces kidnapping, rape and other charges.
“Fortunately our justice system is based on facts and evidence,” Oscar Crisafio, Burke’s lawyer, said in an emailed statement. “And the evidence in this case, in the words of the actual complainant, suggests that she was never held against her will.”
Ralph Knowles, another Long Island resident, was charged with rape and other counts, according to online court records.
“Ralph looks forward to receiving discovery in a timely manner and his day in court where the truth will prevail,” his lawyer Chase Brown said in an emailed statement.
Other defendants in the case have also denied the charges, Newsday reports.
Three of them were remanded to the county jail Thursday, while the six others had their previously set bail increased by the judge, according to the newspaper.
Three additional defendants have also been charged in connection with the case, but are not included in the initial indictment, Newsday reports.
Among them is a staffer at a state mental health facility who prosecutors say groped the girl while she was receiving inpatient treatment following the ordeal.
He’s been charged with criminal sexual contact with a person incapable of consent and endangering the welfare of a child.
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