BOSTON (AP) — A Massachusetts man trafficked a 15-year-old girl for prostitution in what federal authorities call a “gut-wrenching” case.
Keion Rowell, 23, of Canton, was indicted on child sex trafficking charges and was held after an initial court appearance on Thursday pending an arraignment and detention hearing scheduled for Tuesday, according to the U.S. attorney’s office in Boston.
An email seeking comment was left with his federal public defender.
The girl was found by authorities on Jan. 28, 2021 about 10 to 14 days after she was reported missing from her suburban Boston home, authorities said.
Rowell advertised the girl for sex, required her to engage in commercial sex acts multiple times, and kept the proceeds, U.S. Attorney Rachael Rollins said in a statement.
“The facts alleged in this case are gut-wrenching,” Joseph Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Boston office said. “No person, let alone a child, should ever be treated as a commodity.”
If convicted, Rowell faces a maximum of life in prison.
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