Defendant Beat and Choked Victims
Bronx District Attorney Darcel D. Clark announced that a Bronx man has been sentenced to 10 years in prison for the sex-trafficking of a 28-year-old New Jersey woman and 15-year-old Brooklyn girl.
District Attorney Clark said, “The defendant pleaded guilty in two separate cases in which he assaulted a woman and a teenage girl and forced them into selling themselves for sex. No one deserves to be treated in such a despicable way. Today’s sentence shows people will not get away with sex trafficking crimes, and that we are here to help the traumatized victims as best we can to seek justice and provide resources so they can move on.”
District Attorney Clark said the defendant, Reginald Cooke AKA Reggie, 33, last of 1051 Anderson Avenue, was sentenced today to 10 years in prison and five years of post-release supervision by Bronx Supreme Court Justice Laurence Busching. Final orders of protection for the victims were issued and the defendant must register as a sex offender. The defendant pleaded guilty to one count of Attempted Sex Trafficking on each of the two indictments he was charged with, one involving a 28-year-old woman and another involving a 15-year-old girl.
According to the investigation, between August 21, 2020 and October 8, 2020, the defendant told the 28-year-old victim that she could have a better life and convinced her to stay with her two children in his Bronx home. Cooke took photos of the victim and posted them as ads on sex websites. The victim performed sexual acts with approximately 10-15 Johns per day in Cooke’s apartment, or at an apartment nearby. When the victim did not abide by Cooke’s rules, he would slap, punch, choke her and pull her hair. He also plied her with PCP.
On October 8, 2020, the victim told the defendant that she did not want to work for him anymore and Cooke yelled and hit her in front of her two children. The victim called the police and left for New Jersey. An investigation began by the Bronx DA’s Human Trafficking Unit and the NYPD Human Trafficking Unit.
On August 2020, the 15-year-old victim was sold to Cooke for $300 and he took the victim to his home and refused to let her leave. During that time, the victim engaged in sexual intercourse with Cooke. The defendant beat the teen to instill fear: punching, slapping, and choking her. He coordinated meetings with Johns and managed prices and payments. As with the other victim, Cooke took pictures of her and uploaded them as ads on sex websites.
The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children saw her photos online and notified the NYPD. On August 21, 2020, the girl was rescued by the Human Trafficking Major Case Team after an undercover detective set up a date with the victim.
Cooke was indicted on the first case in October 2020 and bail was set at $350,00 cash/$350,00 bond/ $350,000 partially secured bond. After a surety hearing, a judge determined bail was from legal sources and the defendant posted bail. On January 21, 2021, Cooke was released from Rikers Island and immediately contacted the New Jersey complainant and attempted to traffic her again. He was indicted on February 5, 2021, on the case involving that victim.
District Attorney Clark also thanked Human Trafficking Major Case Team of NYPD Vice Enforcement Division Detective Mark Shackel, Detective Judith Moreno, and Lieutenant Amy Capogna for their work in the investigation.
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