New York Couple Accused Of Running Sex Trafficking Ring, Victims Include At Least 2 Foster Children
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- A husband and wife are in jail, accused of running a sex trafficking ring together.
As CBS2's Nick Caloway reports, at least two of the victims were in the wife's care as foster children.
The couple was escorted into Manhattan Criminal Court on Wednesday, accused of trafficking women for sex.
When asked if he had anything to say, 38-year-old Kareem Mitchell said, "We didn't do it."
Mitchell and his wife, 51-year-old Sharice Mitchell, accused of trafficking eight women, went before a judge Wednesday.
Sharice Mitchell had a role as a certified New York state foster parent, and two of those victims had been placed in her care as young adults.
In New York City, people can remain in foster care until the age of 21.
Police say the woman lied on her application to become a foster parent, claiming she did not live with her husband, who is a registered sex offender, though he was registered to the same address.
According to court documents, Kareem Mitchell ran a sex trafficking operation dating back to 2018.
He allegedly used Facebook and Instagram to recruit women to work for him, then coerced them to engage in prostitution in Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens and the Bronx.
Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg said that "sex traffickers target the most vulnerable New Yorkers, including - far too often - young New Yorkers in the child welfare system."
Kareem and Sharice Mitchell are each facing multiple felony charges, including sex trafficking and promoting prostitution. They both pleaded not guilty.
CBS2's Nick Caloway contributed to this report.
