Pair accused of forcing girl into prostitution for eight years

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By Jonathan Allen | Reuters


NEW YORK (Reuters) - Two Brooklyn men are accused of forcing a 13-year-old girl into prostitution in 2003 and assaulting and raping her for the last eight years, authorities said on Wednesday.

During those years, the two men threatened to harm the girl's family if she told anyone what was happening, District Attorney Charles Hynes said in a statement.

Damien Crooks, 31, and Jamali Brockett, 27, are charged with first-degree rape. Crooks is also charged with two counts of sex trafficking, and Brockett is charged with compelling prostitution. They were slated to be arraigned on Wednesday in state Supreme Court in Brooklyn.

The girl first encountered the two men in a park in Brooklyn, where they both raped her, according to the indictment.

Soon after, the men allegedly began forcing her to have sex for money and continued to rape and beat her periodically for the rest of her teen-age years, prosecutors said. They said the girl and the men all live in the same Brooklyn neighborhood.

Now enrolled in college, the girl confided in a professor who convinced her to tell authorities, prosecutors said.

"If you are a pimp, we will catch you, and when we do, we will aggressively prosecute you and seek the maximum sentences," Hynes said in announcing the indictment.

The girl and her family have been placed into protective custody, authorities said.

On one occasion, Crooks allegedly took the girl to a party to recruit other girls into prostitution. When she refused to comply, Crooks and an associate allegedly raped her as punishment, prosecutors said.

On another occasion, Crooks, Brockett and Brockett's brother, Jawara Brockett, allegedly raped the girl on the roof of a building while her brother waited outside, oblivious to what was happening, they said.

Brockett's brother and Darrell Dula an associate of the two men, also are charged with raping the girl.

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