- Alfredo Morocho is accused of sex trafficking with a 17-year-old migrant girl in Queens
- The 37-year-old was arrested on March 6 when he tried to set up the girl with an undercover officer at a hotel
- Morocho faces nine counts and could face 25 years in prison if convicted
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An accused MS-13 gang member was arrested earlier this month for allegedly luring a 17-year-old migrant girl out of a shelter in Queens and forcing her to perform sex work.
Alfredo Morocho, 37, was also wanted by authorities for skipping bail in connection with a 2018 child abuse case, according to the Queens District Attorney’s Office.
Morocho, who was apprehended on March 6, is being held at Rikers Island.
A spokesperson for the Queens DA told DailyMail.com that Morocho is scheduled to appear in court on May 30.
He faces two counts of sex trafficking with a minor and five counts of prostitution. He was also charged with two counts of patronizing a person in prostitution.
Alfredo Morocho, 37, an accused MS-13 gang member, was arrested earlier this month for allegedly luring a 17-year-old migrant girl out of a shelter in Queens and forcing her to perform sex work. He was apprehended on March 6, is being held at Rikers Island
Morocho allegedly forced her into prostitution and transported her to and from an apartment (pictured) in the Corona neighborhood
Morocho faces up to 25 years in prison if found guilty.
“No child should ever be exploited,” Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz said on X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter.
“I have dedicated significant resources to supporting those affected by sex trafficking and to holding perpetrators accountable.”
Morocho first met the migrant teenager at a deli in November in the Queens neighborhood of Jamaica and asked her if she was interested in working, according to the Queen’s DA’s office.
Morocho allegedly forced her into prostitution and transported her to and from an apartment in the Corona neighborhood where she performed sex work for other men.
Katz’s office said he paid the teenager only half of the money she collected and that he tricked her into providing half-nude photographs of herself, which were used to promote her to clients.
Morocho was arrested when he drove the young girl to a hotel (pictured) in Flushing and negotiated her prices with an undercover police officer, who promptly arrested him
Morocho was arrested when he drove the young girl to a hotel in Flushing and negotiated her prices with an undercover police officer, who promptly arrested him.
Morocho had been on the run since 2019 after he was arrested for allegedly assaulting a nine-year-old girl in front of a Queens cellphone store in September 2018.
He approached the girl while she was looking at phones behind the display window and allegedly lifted her skirt and touched her bottom.
The girl confronted Morocho, who allegedly told her: ‘Don’t move, I won’t do this anymore.’
Morocho was arrested and told police he allegedly ‘tried to record her butt’.