Crime
Prosecutors mentioned Keion Rowell started prostituting the 15-year-old runaway shortly after assembly her in January 2021.
A Canton man was convicted Thursday on prices of intercourse trafficking a 15-year-old runaway by posting on-line intercourse advertisements, prostituting her, and pocketing the cash, based on the U.S. Legal professional’s Workplace.
Keion Rowell, 24, was arrested and charged in April 2022 and indicted by a federal grand jury in Might 2022. A jury deliberated for 4 days this week earlier than discovering Rowell responsible of trafficking the lady, based on officers.
He will likely be sentenced on Dec. 11 and faces a compulsory minimal sentence of 10 years in jail, with a most sentence of as much as life in jail, 5 years of supervised launch and a wonderful of $250,000.
Performing Massachusetts U.S. Legal professional Joshua S. Levy mentioned Rowell preyed on {the teenager} by grooming her after which trafficking her and taking the cash.
“This conduct is despicable and has no place in a civilized society,” Levy mentioned in a information launch. “Intercourse trafficking causes immeasurable bodily and long-term emotional struggling, and this workplace will proceed to work tirelessly to hunt justice for the courageous survivors.”
Investigators mentioned Rowell met the sufferer on Jan. 18, 2021, shortly after she had run away from her suburban Boston house. Quickly after, Rowell posted quite a few on-line business intercourse advertisements that contained nude images of the sufferer, and informed her that she must have intercourse in trade for cash. Prosecutors mentioned Rowell communicated with “intercourse patrons” and despatched the sufferer to fulfill with males to have intercourse in trade for cash, which he pocketed.
On Jan. 28, 2021, 10 days after the sufferer had been reported lacking, police carried out an undercover operation to rescue her. Investigators mentioned she had Rowell’s cellphone which contained images of her and Rowell, details about his private financial institution accounts, hyperlinks to on-line ads for business intercourse and communications with intercourse patrons. Prosecutors mentioned Rowell used Venmo and Money App accounts for his transactions with patrons.
Rowell had additionally opened a web based “Meet Me” account for the sufferer that marketed intercourse with the lady and instructed her on how a lot she ought to cost, prosecutors mentioned.
“Keion Rowell compelled a 15-year-old baby into sexual servitude, for his personal greed and monetary achieve,” mentioned Jodi Cohen, Particular Agent in Cost of the FBI’s Boston Division. “Whereas FBI Boston’s Youngster Exploitation — Human Trafficking Process Drive can’t erase the hurt he’s carried out, we’ve made him reply for it. We thank the jury for bringing justice for his sufferer and making certain Mr. Rowell can’t declare anymore.”
Authorities urged anybody impacted by or experiencing business intercourse trafficking to contact [email protected].
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