FOUR PEOPLE INDICTED FOR ATTEMPTED RAPE; FORCED 14-YEAR-OLD BRONX GIRL INTO PROSTITUTION

Three Defendants Pressured Teen To Go To Motel With 45-Year-Old Man; Alert Cops Interrupted Sexual Abuse 

  Bronx District Attorney Darcel D. Clark today announced that four individuals have been charged with second-degree Attempted Rape and other charges involving a 14- year-old girl whom they took to a motel to engage in sex with a 45-year-old man. 

  District Attorney Clark said, “The defendants allegedly attempted to force this girl to engage in sex for $50. Thanks to observant police officers, the repulsive act was stopped. While she works to recover from the trauma, we will work to find her justice.”

  District Attorney Clark said Kashalema Kidd, 20, Savon Falu, 21, and Justin Palmer, 16, all from the Bronx, and Avis Ruiz, 45, of Brooklyn, were indicted for seconddegree Attempted Rape and Endangering the Welfare of a Child. Falu was also charged with first-degree Promoting Prostitution, and Kidd, Falu and Palmer were charged with second-and third-degree Promoting Prostitution. Ruiz was charged with Forcible Touching, second- and third-degree Patronizing a Person for Prostitution and third-degree Sexual Abuse. 

  Kidd and Ruiz were arraigned today before Bronx Supreme Court Justice William Mogulescu, who set bail at $10,000 and $50,000 respectively. They are due back in court on November 28, 2016. Palmer and Falu were previously arraigned before Bronx Supreme Court Justice Steven Barrett, who set bail at $100,000 each. If convicted of their top charge, Falu faces up to 25 years in prison, while Kidd and Palmer face up to 15 years and Ruiz faces up to four years. 

  According to the investigation, on the morning of October 27, 2016, Falu, Kidd, and Palmer arranged an agreement with Ruiz to have sexual intercourse with the victim in a motel in exchange for $50. Sergeant Miguel Sanchez and Police Officer Robert Altieri of the 47th Precinct approached the three defendants and they ran toward the motel. The cops followed and found the girl and Ruiz in a room, and were able to apprehend the perpetrators prior to consummation. 

  The case is being prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Gerard Donahue of the Criminal Enterprise Bureau under the supervision of L. Newton Mendys, Supervisor of the Criminal Enterprise Bureau, with the assistance of Assistant District Attorney Lauren Dichiara of the Child Abuse/Sex Crimes Bureau; Denise Kodjo, Deputy Chief of the Criminal Enterprise Bureau, James Goward, Chief of the Criminal Enterprise Bureau and under the overall supervision of Stuart Levy, Deputy Chief of the Investigations Division and Jean T. Walsh, Chief of the Investigations Division. 

  An indictment is an accusatory instrument and not proof of a defendant’s guilt.