Defendant Coerced Victims Using Violence and Drugs
Bronx District Attorney Darcel D. Clark today announced that three Bronx men and a woman have been indicted on charges including Sex Trafficking of a Child, Promoting Prostitution and other charges involving two 15-year-old girls and an 18-year-old woman.
District Attorney Clark said, “These defendants allegedly profited from the sex trafficking of vulnerable teens. They manipulated these girls by all means: taking their money, beatings, strangling and drugs. Two of the defendants are mother and son. We are glad these victims are finally out of that horrible, degrading situation.”
District Attorney Clark said the defendant, Marvin Flint AKA Merk, 30, of 1010 East 178th Street; Zyair Harris AKA Zay, 24, of 2354 Glebe Avenue; Curtis Laboy AKA Shawn, 24, of 2115 Cross Bronx Expressway; and Melina Laboy AKA Chica Peek, 41, of 2415 Williamsbridge Road; were variously charged in a 35-count indictment with Sex Trafficking of a Child, second, third and fourth-degree Promoting Prostitution, Sex Trafficking, Compelling Prostitution, third-degree Criminal Sexual Act and Endangering the Welfare of a Child. Flint was arraigned on June 29, 2021 before Bronx Supreme Court Justice Raymond Bruce. He was remanded and is due back in Court on July 27, 2021. Melina Laboy was arraigned on June 30, 2021, Harris was arraigned on July 1, 2021, and Curtis Laboy was arraigned on July 2, 2021, all before Bronx Supreme Court Justice George Villegas. The defendants were remanded and are due back in court on July 8, 2021.
According to the investigation, in November 2020, Harris recruited a 15-year-old girl to engage in prostitution. Harris and Flint allegedly took photos of the teen and posted them online as ads. For weeks, the victim engaged in prostitution daily. The defendants directly profited from the exploitation of the victim. During December 2020, Harris assaulted the victim for various reasons, such as the victim collecting the wrong amount of money. Harris allegedly struck the teen in the face and body and strangled her until she became unconscious on various occasions. Due to the increasing violence and threats under Harris, Flint recruited the victim to work for him only. Flint also beat the victim on multiple occasions, including one incident in which he beat the teen with a towel rod he had ripped off the bathroom wall. Flint also plied the victim with Ecstasy and cocaine so she could continue engaging in sexual acts with strangers in exchange for money.
On April 27, 2021, the NYPD conducted a rescue operation for the victim after her mother reported her missing and photos of her were seen in online ads. The victim was recovered from Flint’s home, but on April 30, 2021, the teen ran away from home and was with Flint until May 8, 2021.
According to the investigation, between November 15, 2020 and May 8, 2021, Harris and Flint worked with Curtis Laboy in the sex trafficking of an 18-year-old woman and another 15- year-old girl. In December 2020, Curtis Laboy allegedly told the 18-year-old victim, who was homeless, that she could make money with him. Curtis Laboy allegedly posted ads online of the victim, and between December 2020 and February 2021 the 18-year-old engaged in prostitution. Curtis Laboy profited from the exploitation of the victim and threatened her with violence if she did not follow his rules.
On February 2, 2021, Curtis Laboy allegedly recruited the 15-year-old victim, who knew the 18-year-old victim, and he posted photos of the 15-year-old in online ads. The victim stayed at the 7 Days Hotel on Bruckner Boulevard for two weeks and engaged in prostitution at least one time at the behest of the defendant. Curtis Laboy’s mother, Melina Laboy, would allegedly go to the 7 Days Hotel to enforce rules and informed her son when the victim did not follow them. She also allegedly transported the victim to other locations so she could engage in sexual acts with others in exchange for a fee, as arranged by defendants.
District Attorney Clark also thanked the NYPD Bronx Vice Module, NYPD Vice Major Case Squad, NYPD Human Trafficking Squad and the NYPD Manhattan North Vice Module for their work in the investigation. District Attorney Clark specifically thanked Detective Mark Shackel and Lieutenant Amy Capogna, both of the NYPD Human Trafficking Squad, and Detective Denis Regimbal of the NYPD Vice Major Case Squad for their assistance in the case.
An indictment is an accusatory instrument and not proof of a defendant’s guilt.
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