David Williams Kidnapped, Raped, and Trafficked an Adult Victim and Trafficked a Minor Victim
Geoffrey S. Berman, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, and William F. Sweeney Jr., Assistant Director-in-Charge of the New York Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”), announced today the arrest of DAVID WILLIAMS, a/k/a “Pap,” a/k/a “Pap Avilii,” a/k/a “Daddy,” for operating a sex trafficking enterprise, in connection with which WILLIAMS kidnapped, raped, and trafficked an adult victim (“Victim-1”) and also trafficked a minor victim (“Victim-2”). WILLIAMS will be presented before United States Magistrate Judge Debra Freeman later today.
U.S. Attorney Geoffrey S. Berman said: “David Williams allegedly kidnapped, raped, and forced women into prostitution – one of whom was just 14 years old – in operating his human sex trafficking enterprise. It is reprehensible that a person would forcibly coerce another human being into sex and seek to profit from it, and for allegedly doing so, Williams now faces life in prison. Human trafficking continues to be a priority for this Office, and I commend the FBI’s Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force for aggressively pursuing cases to bring sexual predators to justice.”
FBI Assistant Director William F. Sweeney Jr. said: “The victims in this investigation are living, breathing humans; not property or goods to be sold for sex. As law enforcement, we will do everything we can to stop criminals from preying on children and vulnerable women, but shockingly these cases don’t go away. As a community, we must do more to stop the cycle of demand for this despicable criminal activity, and do more to protect these victims.”
According to the allegations in the Complaint unsealed today in federal court[1]:
From at least in or about December 2018 up to and including at least in or about February 2019, WILLIAMS ran a sex trafficking enterprise (the “Business”), along with another person (“CC-1”), who also worked as a prostitute for WILLIAMS.
In February 2019, WILLIAMS and CC-1 kidnapped Victim-1, who was an adult, in Atlantic City, New Jersey, and transported her to the Bronx, New York, to work as a prostitute for the Business. During the time that Victim-1 was held by WILLIAMS and CC-1, WILLIAMS and CC-1 advertised Victim-1 for sex and also forced Victim-1 to engage in sex acts with clients in exchange for money. When Victim-1 expressed resistance to being trafficked for sex, WILLIAMS brandished a gun and threatened to hurt Victim-1 unless she complied. On at least one occasion, WILLIAMS raped Victim-1 after threatening her with a gun.
In or about December 2018, WILLIAMS and CC-1 recruited Victim-2, who was 14 years old at the time, to work as a prostitute for the Business. During the ensuing months, until in or about February 2019, WILLIAMS and CC-1 advertised Victim-2 for sex and directed Victim-2 to engage in sex acts with clients in exchange for money. WILLIAMS and CC-1 forced Victim-2 to turn over the money Victim-2 earned from prostitution.
WILLIAMS is charged with: (1) conspiracy to commit sex trafficking by force, threats of force, fraud, or coercion and sex trafficking of a minor, (2) sex trafficking by force, threats of force, fraud, or coercion, (3) sex trafficking of a minor, (4) coercion and enticement under the Mann Act, (5) coercion and enticement of a minor under the Mann Act, and (6) kidnapping. Conspiracy to commit sex trafficking by force, threats of force, fraud, or coercion and sex trafficking of a minor, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1594(c), carries a maximum term of life in prison. Sex trafficking by force, threats of force, fraud or coercion, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1591(a) and (b)(1), carries a mandatory minimum term of 15 years in prison and a maximum term of life. Sex trafficking of a minor, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1591(a) and (b)(2), carries a mandatory minimum term of 10 years in prison and a maximum term of life. Coercion and enticement under the Mann Act, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 2422(a), carries a maximum prison term of 20 years. Coercion and enticement of a minor under the Mann Act, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 2422(b), carries a mandatory minimum prison term of 10 years and a maximum term of life. Kidnapping, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1201, carries a maximum term of life in prison. The maximum potential sentences and the mandatory minimum sentences are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant would be determined by the judge.
Mr. Berman praised the outstanding investigative work of the FBI and, in particular, the New York Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force. The prosecution of this case is being handled by the Office’s General Crimes Unit. Assistant United States Attorneys Jun Xiang and Danielle M. Kudla are in charge of the prosecution.
The charges contained in the Complaint are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
[1] As the introductory phrase signifies, the entirety of the text of the Complaint and the description of the Complaint set forth herein constitute only allegations, and every fact described should be treated as an allegation.
