Three men and a woman from Long Island have been indicted on multiple charges for allegedly forcing a female victim to have sex with dealers in exchange for drugs, officials said Tuesday.
The shocking incident occurred on Sept. 13, the Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office said in a news release.
According to prosecutors, 55-year-old Jerry Tenzie offered clothing, food and shelter to a woman who didn’t have a place to stay.
When the victim arrived at the location, an apartment in Bay Shore, she met three of Tenzie’s co-conspirators — 30-year-old Messiah Jefferson, 21-year-old Deron Morales and 26-year-old Antoniya McGowan — who lived in the apartment with another tenant.
After the victim had something to eat, took a shower and changed into clean clothes provided by the group, Jefferson allegedly told her that “she had to engage in sex with men who came to the apartment to sell drugs to the defendants,” prosecutors said.
When she refused to do so, Jefferson directed Morales, McGowan and Tenzie to assault her, according to investigators. She was allegedly beaten and burned by the four assailants until she agreed to do what she was told.
The four defendants were then paid for the victim’s services “in the form of drugs.”
She only managed to escape her captivity after the suspects fell asleep. She exited the apartment through a window and called police.
Two days after forcing the woman into having sex with the drug dealers, Morales and his co-conspirators allegedly assaulted the other tenant of the apartment, after accusing the man of stealing from him.
Jefferson and McGowan are accused of stabbing the male victim, while Tenzie is accused of beating him with a chair. Morales allegedly threatened him with a gun, prosecutors said.
The male victim fled and flagged down a passing police officer. He was taken to a local hospital for treatment, officials said without offering details about his condition.
The four suspects are now charged with sex trafficking, kidnapping, gang assault and related charges.
Jefferson, McGowan and Morales are being held on bail after pleading not guilty to the charges. They’re due back in court in November. Tenzie was expected to be arraigned on Wednesday.