Defendant Allegedly Targeted Vulnerable Victims as Young as 14 Years Old
Earlier today, in federal court in Central Islip, a 12-count indictment was unsealed charging Tyrone Stylistic Crooks with multiple counts of sex trafficking, sexual exploitation of minors, and transportation for prostitution. The charges in the indictment stem from Crooks’s sex trafficking of five victims, including three minor girls who were between the ages of 14 and 17 years old at the time of the alleged crimes. In addition to producing sexually exploitative images and videos of the minors, Crooks allegedly manipulated his victims to engage in commercial sex acts for his financial benefit using fraud, physical violence, and sexual violence. Crooks was arrested yesterday and is scheduled to be arraigned this afternoon before United States Magistrate Judge Lee G. Dunst.
Joseph Nocella, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, Stefanie Roddy, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Newark Field Office (FBI), and James C. Barnacle, Jr., Assistant Director in Charge, FBI, New York Field Office (FBI), announced the arrest and charges.
“As alleged, the defendant preyed on vulnerable members of the community, subjecting his victims to threats, violence, and manipulation so that he could sell their bodies for his own profit,” stated United States Attorney Nocella. “Today’s arrest demonstrates our Office’s unwavering commitment to aggressively prosecute sex traffickers, especially when minors are involved.”
Mr. Nocella expressed his appreciation to the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey; the Boston Police Department; FBI Boston Field Office; the New Jersey State Police Human Trafficking Unit; the Suffolk County Police Department; and the New York City Police Department for their contributions to the case.
“Cases like this remind us that children in our communities are still being exploited by traffickers who see them as commodities rather than young people with futures,” stated FBI Newark Special Agent in Charge Roddy. “Our priority is identifying victims, protecting them, and holding those responsible fully accountable. If someone sees a young person who may be in danger or under someone else’s control, we urge them to report it to the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI. A single call could help protect a child from ongoing abuse.”
“Tyrone Crooks allegedly threatened, assaulted, and forced three minors to engage in sexual acts and produce sexually explicit content for his own personal gain. Through his alleged trafficking of these young girls, they were subjected to significant cruelty and unthinkable sexual abuse. “The FBI continues to coordinate with our federal and local law enforcement partners to apprehend sexual predators and traffickers targeting vulnerable victims, especially children,” stated FBI Assistant Director in Charge Barnacle.
As set forth in court filings, since at least 2021 to the present, Crooks has operated as a “pimp” and trafficked victims across various locations in Brooklyn, Queens, and on Long Island, including in Westbury, Woodbury, Hicksville, Melville, Bethpage, and Huntington. Of the five victims that the defendant is presently charged with trafficking, three were minors who came from out of state to work for Crooks doing prostitution in New York.
Crooks enticed these victims using text and other online communications and paid for their travel. Crooks promoted and managed his prostitution business over the internet, including posting sexually exploitative photos that he produced of these minor victims to further his trafficking business. In addition to recruiting minors, the defendant used them to create sexually explicit images and videos, which he then posted on the internet in advertisements. In one message on January 27, 2025, the defendant said to a minor, “Do your make up for pics . . . And I got baby oil for the pics no diddy lol.” A search of the defendant’s iCloud account revealed multiple images of child pornography from that same date, including one video where a male believed to be the defendant is pouring baby oil on a naked child, who is dancing. Crooks set the prices for commercial sex acts, arranged prostitution “dates” for his victims and controlled the money made during those “dates,” and pursued his victims for money that he claimed they owed him for hotel rooms and other related expenses. Crooks also demanded that his victims engage in sex acts with him, and told at least one victim in text messages that she was not allowed to say “no” to him. Crooks physically assaulted multiple victims, including one who was pregnant at the time. After the victim texted the defendant that he “hurt [her] baby” and questioned “[yo]u thought punching in the stomach was a good idea[.] Could have been anywhere but [you] chose my stomach,” Crooks blamed the victim, texting, “You moved your arm not my fault.”
The charges in the indictment are allegations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. If convicted of sex trafficking using force, fraud or coercion, Crooks faces a mandatory minimum term of 15 years’ imprisonment and a maximum of life. If convicted of sexual exploitation of a minor, he faces a mandatory minimum of 15 years in prison and a maximum of 30 years in prison. If convicted of trafficking a minor, Crooks faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years in prison and a maximum of life.
The government’s case is being prosecuted by the Office’s Human Trafficking and Civil Rights Section and Long Island Criminal Section.
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