PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — With the arrest of 22 people, a sex trafficking organization in the city’s Northeast that for more than a decade had been taking advantage of vulnerable young women has been shut down. The state attorney general on Tuesday announced the arrests, which include the alleged ring-leader.
“Make no mistake about it, this case is about greed and control,” said Attorney General Michelle Henry.
Investigators say Terrance Jones, 52, led the sex-trafficking organization out of his home on Disston Street, near Whitaker Avenue, in the Oxford Circle neighborhood, since 2012.
“The conduct in this case is disturbing. It is cruel, and it is callus,” said Henry.
After a nearly three-year investigation, Pennsylvania State Police arrested Jones on Oct. 18.
The attorney general says many of the women Jones preyed upon were struggling with substance abuse issues. She said Jones impersonated a woman named “Julie” or “Julia” on phone calls to recruit the women as sex workers into his organization, which he advertised online with names such as Girlfriend’s Experience, GFE or Girlfriends to potential clients.
She says, as a result, many of the women never knew it was Jones they were working for.
“By presenting himself as a woman, coupled with the victims’ inability to make informed decisions while intoxicated, Jones was able to lure and trap easily manipulated women into his scheme and make money using their bodies for sex.”
Drivers hired by Jones would take the women to and from sexual meetups with clients.
“In addition to the drivers in the organization sometimes raping the victims,” said Henry, “the grand jury also learned that Jones would force himself on women as part of the interview process.”
Jones is charged with corrupt organizations, trafficking in individuals, involuntary servitude, criminal conspiracy, aggravated assault and related offenses. His bail was set at $2 million.
The investigation also led to the arrest of four drivers, 16 sex buyers, and even Jones’s daughter, Natoria.
“She handled the financial matters,” Henry said of Natoria. “The drivers would collect the money from the victims and then the drivers would turn that money over to either Terrance Jones or his daughter.”
The drivers facing charges are identified as Thomas Reilly, James Rudolph, Rhaheem Hill and Joseph Franklin. The charges against Reilly, 54, are similar to those against Jones, as well as rape and other sexual assault offenses. Bail was set at $1 million.
Commercial sex buyers identified by the attorney general are Joseph Szegila, Christopher Wood, Stephen Osborne, Pasquale Difelice, Steven May, Brian Smith, Christopher Bello, Jonathan Fellenz, Robert Brutsche, Kevin Bullock, Boris Volinsky, Brian Nice, Gary Ames, Grady Durham and Gregory Doto.
Jan. 21 update:
All charges have been dismissed against Michael Bonczak, one of the men initially arrested in the case, due to lack of evidence, court records show.