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East Providence Man Indicted for Sex Trafficking Minors in RI, MA

A screen shot of US Department of Justice website.
A screen shot of US Department of Justice website.

Providence, RI – A federal grand jury has indicted an East Providence man on charges of conspiracy, sex trafficking of a child and transportation of a minor, alleging he recruited minor girls for prostitution at motels in Seekonk, MA, and at locations in Providence, Narragansett, Charlestown and Warwick.

The indictment charges Reginald Chaney, a/k/a “Reggie”, 19, of East Providence, with conspiracy to commit sex trafficking of a child, conspiracy to transport a minor, and two counts each of sex trafficking of a child and transportation of a minor.

The indictment, returned on Wednesday, was announced in a release today by United States Attorney Peter F. Neronha.

According to the indictment, on Jan. 18, 2015, Chaney met two teen girls, aged 15 and 16, and drove them to an East Providence home.  Allegedly, Chaney arranged for photographs to be taken of the victims for display on Backpage.com. Later that evening the victims were driven by Chaney to a motel in Seekonk, MA, and the photographs were then posted on Backpage.com.

On several occasions between on or about Jan. 18, 2015, and Jan. 30, 2015, the indictment alleges, Chaney arranged for meetings between the teens and individuals who responded to advertisements on Backpage.com, offering the victims for sex. The meetings allegedly occurred at motels in Seekonk and at locations in Providence, Warwick, Charlestown and Narragansett.

East Providence Police arrested Chaney in East Providence Jan. 29, based on information developed during an investigation conducted by the Providence Police Department with assistance of Homeland Security Investigations.

Chaney is being held in Rhode Island state custody as a superior court probation violator on a 5-year suspended sentence imposed on January 14, 2015, on a weapons charge.

If convicted, Chaney faces penalties of up to life in federal prison with a mandatory minimum term of 15 years and a fine of up to $250,000 for Conspiracy to commit sex trafficking of a child and sex trafficking by force or coercion of a child. He also faces up to life in federal prison with a mandatory minimum term of 10 years and a fine of up to $250,000 for both the conspiracy to transport a minor and transportation of a minor charges.

A full copy of the indictment has been embedded and linked below:

Chaney Indictment

Rob Borkowski
Author: Rob Borkowski

Rob has worked as reporter and editor for several publications, including The Kent County Daily Times and Coventry Courier, before working for Gatehouse in MA then moving home with Patch Media. Now he's publisher and editor of WarwickPost.com. Contact him at [email protected] with tips, press releases, advertising inquiries, and concerns.

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