By: Richard L. Smith
An Essex County man has been convicted on multiple charges related to sex trafficking and prostitution, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced today.
Amin Sharif, 49, of Newark, was found guilty on July 25, 2024, of one count of attempted transportation of a victim with intent to engage in prostitution, one count of sex trafficking of a minor, one count of use of an interstate facility to promote unlawful activity, one count of transporting a victim with intent to engage in prostitution, and one count of persuading a victim to travel to engage in prostitution.
The conviction followed a seven-day jury trial before U.S. District Judge Michael A. Shipp in Trenton federal court.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, the FBI began investigating Sharif in January 2021 for transporting and attempting to transport women and minors from various states to New Jersey and other locations for commercial sex acts.
Sharif recruited four females from New York, Pennsylvania, Idaho, and Utah, using five social media accounts on Instagram and Facebook under various aliases, including Dallas Love, Chance, Razzile Dazzile, Truman Peterman, and "Daddy."
He lured victims with promises of housing, payment of bills, and the potential to earn thousands of dollars a day. Sharif even advertised a minor victim online, offering her for 32 sexual services.
At the time of these offenses, Sharif was on supervised release for a prior conviction for conspiracy to transport a minor to engage in prostitution, for which he had been sentenced to a 10-year prison term.
The charge of sex trafficking of a minor carries a mandatory minimum penalty of 10 years in prison and a maximum penalty of life in prison.
Each charge of transporting a victim with intent to engage in prostitution carries a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison, while persuading a victim to travel to engage in prostitution carries a maximum penalty of 60 years in prison.
The charge of using an interstate facility to promote unlawful activity carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison.
Each count also includes a potential fine of up to $250,000.
Sentencing for Sharif is scheduled for November 5, 2024.