SHIRLEY MAN PLEADS GUILTY TO SEX TRAFFICKING

(SUFFOLK COUNTY, N.Y.) – Suffolk County District Attorney Raymond A. Tierney today announced that Javesh Persaud, 34, of Shirley, pleaded guilty to Sex Trafficking, and other related charges, for luring a woman experiencing homelessness to Suffolk County by promising her shelter and then forcing her to engage in sexual acts with others in exchange for money to “repay” him.

“This conviction is the result of the tremendous courage that the victim showed in escaping the clutches of this defendant’s heinous abuse by calling the Polaris hotline, and the subsequent outstanding investigative work by the Human Trafficking units of the Suffolk County Police Department and my office,” said District Attorney Tierney. “Suffolk County law enforcement will continue to vigorously prosecute those who seek to exploit vulnerable individuals. We will not relent.”

According to court documents and the defendant’s admissions during his guilty plea allocution, in July 2023, Persaud met the 18-year-old victim on Omegle, the now defunct online chat platform that randomly paired strangers online for virtual chats and video conferencing. When the victim met Persaud, she was undomiciled and sleeping in New York City subways in Manhattan.

Persaud claimed that he helped people who were without homes and offered the victim clean clothes, a shower, food, and a place to sleep. 

He picked the victim up in Manhattan the same day and drove her to a parking lot in Shirley, where he parked next to a broken-down car. Persaud told the victim to put her things in the car and informed her that she would be sleeping there with him. The victim, who had no friends, family or contacts in Suffolk County, complied.

The next day, Persaud began to force the victim to engage in sexual acts with strangers in exchange for money which he kept for himself.  He promised to permit her to sleep in the car and provide her with food.  At one point, the victim refused to engage in the sexual acts and attempted to argue with Persaud.  He slapped her in the face and threatened to stab her with a knife that he always carried with him.  Terrified, the victim continued to engage in sex acts for Persaud’s profit.  In addition to forcing the victim to engage in sex with strangers, Persaud also forced the victim to engage in sex acts with him by strangling her until she complied. 

On September 1, 2023, while Persaud was not in her presence, the victim contacted Polaris, the National Human Trafficking hotline, to ask for help.  Polaris immediately reached out to the Suffolk County Police Department, and officers were dispatched to recover the victim.  The Human Trafficking Investigations Unit of the SCPD began an investigation with the DA’s H.E.A.T. Unit (Hate Crimes, Elder Abuse, Anti-Bias/Immigrant Affairs, Human Trafficking) and arrested Persaud shortly thereafter. 

On October 25, 2024, Persaud pleaded guilty to the following charges before Acting Supreme Court Justice Karen M. Wilutis:

• One count of Sex Trafficking (by force), a Class B violent felony;
• One count of Criminal Sexual Act in the First Degree, a Class B violent felony;
• Three counts of Sex Trafficking, a Class B felony;
• One count of Promoting Prostitution in the Second Degree, a Class C felony;
• One count of Promoting Prostitution in the Third Degree, a Class D felony; and
• One count of Criminal Sexual Act in the Third Degree, a Class E felony. 

Persaud is due back in court on December 9, 2024, and he is expected to be sentenced to 12 years in prison followed by 20 years of post-release supervision. He is being represented by Jason Bassett, Esq.

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Veronica McMahon of the Hate Crimes, Elder Abuse, Anti-Bias, and Human Trafficking (H.E.A.T.) Unit with the investigation conducted by Detectives Joseph Collins and John Paul O’Connor of the Human Trafficking Investigations Unit of the Suffolk County Police Department.

To report suspicious activity or get help, contact:

• 911
• The Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office H.E.A.T. Tipline at 631-852-2950.
•  The National Human Trafficking Hotline, operated by the Polaris Project at 1-888-373-7888 or text “HELP” or “INFO” to 233733.

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Criminal complaints and indictments are merely accusatory instruments.

Defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty. No one is above the law.

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