A New York man faces sex trafficking charges for allegedly luring two minors to travel from Ohio to engage in sexual activities.
Berry Norman was scheduled to make an initial court appearance by videoconference Thursday afternoon. He is charged with attempted sex trafficking of a child and transporting minors to engage in unlawful sexual activity, according to the U.S. attorney’s office in New Jersey. Each count carries a mandatory minimum penalty of 10 years in prison.
According to a criminal complaint, the 32-year-old Norman met the 14-year-old and 15-year-old in the Cincinnati area in late February and convinced them to come to New York.
At a hotel in North Bergen, New Jersey, Norman tried to get the two to have sex with men for money and live-stream sexual activities over the Internet, the complaint alleged. Both refused, but Norman then allegedly took them to New York to a different hotel.
Norman and a woman allegedly took the teens shopping for lingerie and took them back to the hotel, where they allegedly told them to put on the items and engage in sexual activities that would be live-streamed.
One of the teens called a relative, who subsequently called 911, according to the complaint.
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The court docket didn’t list an attorney representing Norman.