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A married couple was arraigned in Manhattan Wednesday for allegedly using violence to force women into prostitution and sell sexual content on OnlyFans.
Jonathon Ruiz, 29 and Charline Santiago, 27, of Youngstown, Ohio were charged with a combined 15 felony counts of sex trafficking, labor trafficking, conspiracy and promoting prostitution, according to the Manhattan District Attorney’s office.
The suspects allegedly trafficked multiple women in New York City, as well as in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Connecticut and Massachusetts between 2020 and 2021.
Ruiz, who goes by “Saiint,” posted online advertisements for sex work and drove the women to hotels across the Northeast while Santiago waited outside the establishments to collect money, according to the allegations.
Ruiz would allegedly beat the women, deprive them of food and force them to take cocaine to stay awake if they refused to work, did not earn enough money or attempted to keep cash for themselves. The frequent beatings resulted in black eyes, lacerations, bruising and scars, prosecutors said.
Ruiz would also brandish a gun at the victims and forced one of the women to create sex videos on an amateur porn website while keeping all the profits after laundering them through a Connecticut company the couple set up, officials said.
The violent pimps also allegedly took the women’s IDs and used them to “fraudulently obtain government benefits and loans” which they kept for themselves, according to a news release.
“These horrific allegations detail an abhorrent sex trafficking scheme that preyed on vulnerable people so the ringleaders could turn a profit,” said District Attorney Alvin Bragg.
“The Internet gives traffickers new ways to exploit people through economic, emotional, physical and psychological coercion.
“We will continue to hold accountable those who engaged in this type of criminal activity, while also continuing our work to ensure that survivors have the services and support they need to recover and move beyond the trauma they have faced.”
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