Jordan Anate, Romane St. Christopher McKenzie Jailed in CT Child Sex Trafficking Ring

Two men, Jordan Anate and Romane St. Christopher McKenzie, were each sentenced to 10 years in federal prison for their roles in sex trafficking minors in Connecticut. The convictions mark a key blow against predators exploiting children in the state’s underground sex trade, where traffickers profit off the most vulnerable—teenagers lured, coerced, and trapped into commercial sexual exploitation.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Connecticut has prosecuted 28 defendants for human trafficking violations in recent years. In 2016 alone, five individuals were indicted or entered guilty pleas for sex trafficking offenses. Among the most chilling cases was that of Ramon Gomez, who pleaded guilty to sex trafficking a minor after the 17-year-old victim died from a heroin overdose supplied by Gomez—highlighting the deadly intersection of drug abuse and child exploitation.

The crackdown is driven by the Connecticut Human Trafficking Task Force, launched in November 2015. The multi-agency unit includes Homeland Security Investigations, the FBI, the U.S. Department of Labor, Connecticut State Police, 16 local police departments, and prosecutors led by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sarala V. Nagala and David Novick. Their mission: dismantle trafficking networks and hold predators accountable under federal law.

Federal prosecutors are prioritizing the sex trafficking of minors, but also targeting cases involving vulnerable adults and labor trafficking. The U.S. Attorney’s Office has intensified training for law enforcement, hospital staff, school groups, and hotel workers—critical first responders who may spot signs of trafficking. In January 2017, prosecutors conducted trainings at the Connecticut Police Officer Standards and Training Academy, St. Francis Hospital in Hartford, and through the Connecticut Lodging Association.

On January 11, 2017—National Human Trafficking Awareness Day—U.S. Attorney Deirdre M. Daly and her team wore blue in solidarity with the Department of Homeland Security’s Blue Campaign, a nationwide effort to raise awareness and support survivors. Daly praised victim services providers like the Department of Children and Families and the International Institute of Connecticut for helping victims reclaim their lives.

‘Human traffickers, particularly those who prey on children, exploit the most vulnerable segments of our society,’ said Daly. ‘We will continue to devote significant federal resources to investigate and prosecute those who profit from the abuse and exploitation of our children.’ The message is clear: Connecticut’s federal prosecutors are waging war on traffickers—and they’re not backing down.