Convicted Sex Trafficker Faces Up to Life in Prison for Exploiting Women and Minor in Commercial Sex

Strategic Insights -

A federal jury in New York has convicted Joel David Forney, 42, of sex trafficking and related charges for his conduct in trafficking two women to work in commercial sex, including at an open-air sex trafficking market in Brooklyn. Forney was also found guilty of coercion and enticement of a minor for having sexual intercourse with a teenager when he was 31 years old. The evidence presented at trial showed that Forney used violence, threats, and false promises to lure women into his trafficking network, where they were forced to engage in commercial sex acts for his financial benefit.

Key Takeaways:

  • Forney was convicted of two counts of sex trafficking and related charges for trafficking two women to work in commercial sex in New York.
  • The evidence showed that Forney used violence, threats, and false promises to lure women into his trafficking network, where they were forced to engage in commercial sex acts for his financial benefit.
  • Forney was also found guilty of coercion and enticement of a minor for having sexual intercourse with a teenager when he was 31 years old.
  • The FBI investigated the case, and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lauren Elbert, Antoinette N. Rangel, and Trial Attorney Leah Branch of the Civil Rights Division's Human Trafficking Prosecution Unit are prosecuting the case.
  • Forney faces a minimum penalty of 15 years in prison and a maximum penalty of life in prison as well as mandatory restitution.
  • A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Statistics:

  • Forney faces a minimum penalty of 15 years in prison and a maximum penalty of life in prison.
  • The average sentence for sex trafficking offenders is 15.6 years in prison, according to the U.S. Department of Justice (Source: Department of Justice, 2020).
  • An estimated 403,000 cases of human trafficking occur in the United States each year, with an estimated 1 in 6 victims being American-born (Source: Polaris Project, 2020).

Sources:

  • United States Attorneys for the Eastern District of New York
  • Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department's Civil Rights Division
  • FBI Criminal Investigative Division
  • U.S. Attorney Joseph Nocella Jr. for the Eastern District of New York
  • U.S. Department of Justice
  • Polaris Project