"Convicted Randolph pimp faces new charges; Randolph man accused of human trafficking in several communities, rape" by Travis Andersen | Globe Staff, October 01, 2013
A Randolph man convicted in 2007 of sexually exploiting a 16-year-old girl for profit is facing new allegations that he later trafficked women in several Massachusetts communities and raped one of them.
A statewide grand jury indicted Ryan Duntin, 31, Tuesday on two counts each of trafficking persons for sexual servitude, conspiracy to traffic persons for sexual servitude, and deriving support from prostitution, as well as charges of rape and failing to register as a sex offender, Attorney General Martha Coakley’s office said.
Duntin, who also goes by the names Real and Tyrell, was in custody Tuesday, and it was not known if he had hired a lawyer.
“We allege that this defendant recruited women into prostitution and forced at least one of them to engage in commercial sex, keeping the profits from this activity,” Coakley said in a statement. “These charges remind us how crucial the human trafficking statute is so that we can now hold individuals accountable for this egregious behavior.”
Coakley’s office began investigating the alleged trafficking in July, after Tewksbury police referred the matter to prosecutors, the statement said.
Duntin allegedly posted online advertisements for sexual services or directed the posting of such ads, and kept women in various hotels to meet customers. He collected the proceeds and “allegedly would frequently use violence and threats of violence,” prosecutors said.
In addition, Duntin is accused of raping one of the women, and authorities believe that he offered sexual services in other states including Rhode Island, Connecticut, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Maryland.
“Evidence indicates that Duntin traveled up and down the East Coast, usually along the Route 95 corridor, and typically never spent more than one or two nights at a location,” the statement said.
His alleged failure to register as a sex offender stems from not providing a secondary address or disclosing to authorities that he was traveling out of state and living mostly in hotels.
In the 2007 case, Duntin pleaded guilty to charges of inducing a minor into prostitution and three counts of deriving support from prostitution, Suffolk District Attorney Daniel F. Conley said. He served a three-year prison sentence.
Duntin had prostituted a 16-year-old girl in that case and kept her earnings, Conley said in a statement. He added that a key witness was another teenage victim of Duntin’s.
“Duntin’s prior case and this new one are reminders of why we fought so hard to bring a human trafficking statute to Massachusetts,” Conley said. “Commercial sexual exploitation is not a victimless crime. It hurts real people, most of them girls and most of them young, poor, and disadvantaged.”
Conley had cited Duntin during a 2011 press conference in which law enforcement officials, including Coakley, voiced support for legislation to crack down on human trafficking that has since passed.
Under current law, a defendant convicted of trafficking a person under age 18 for sexual servitude faces a possible life term, according to the state legislative website. Trafficking adults for sexual servitude carries a maximum prison term of 20 years. Arraignment dates for Duntin on the new charges in Middlesex and Norfolk counties have not been set.
“The Tewksbury Police Department recognizes the seriousness of these human trafficking crimes and is very appreciative of the collaboration that brought this matter to indictment,” Police Chief Timothy Sheehan said.
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Also see: Pimping You This Post
