Joel Lindsay, Sex Trafficking, Connecticut 2019

Two men have been brought to justice for their roles in the sex trafficking of a minor in Connecticut.

According to court documents, Joel Lindsay, also known as “Joey Guapo,” 23, and Joseph Pina, 24, both of East Hartford, pleaded guilty to offenses related to the sex trafficking of a minor.

The crimes took place in October 2019, when Lindsay and Pina recruited, enticed, and transported a minor victim to engage in commercial sex acts. On October 17, 2019, the trio picked up the minor victim and took her to a hotel in East Windsor, where they took photographs of her and posted her photos on a website, advertising her sexual services.

Lindsay and Pina then arranged prostitution appointments for the minor victim, with the victim earning at least $100 from these appointments on that night, all of which she gave to Lindsay.

The following day, Lindsay and Pina posted more advertisements on the same website and arranged prostitution appointments for the minor victim at a hotel in Windsor Locks. Over the next two days, the pair posted additional advertisements and the minor victim saw prostitution customers each day, again giving all of the money earned to Lindsay.

The investigation revealed that Lindsay and Pina engaged in sexual activity with the minor victim, despite knowing she was under the age of 18.

Lindsay, a citizen of Jamaica, pleaded guilty to one count of sex trafficking of a minor, an offense that carries a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of 10 years and a maximum term of imprisonment of life. He has been detained since his arrest on August 20, 2020, and is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Vanessa L. Bryant on January 12, 2022.

Pina pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit sex trafficking of a minor, an offense that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of life. He was released on a $100,000 bond while awaiting sentencing, which is scheduled for January 19, 2022.

This matter is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Angel M. Krull.

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