Date: 10-23-2018

Case Style:

Case Number: 1:18-cr-00081-DLC

Judge: Denise L. Cote

Court: United States District Court for the Southern District of New York (New York County0

Plaintiff's Attorney: Sheb Swett, Jane Kim, and Margaret Graham

Defendant's Attorney: Christopher Aaron Flood, Akash Mayank Toprani, Jason Immanuel Ser and Jullian D Harris

Description: New York, NY - Lavellous Purcell, A/K/A “King Casino,” A/K/A “Mike Hill,” Convicted In Manhattan Federal Court Of Sex Trafficking By Force, Fraud, Or Coercion, And Other Related Offenses

LAVELLOUS PURCELL, a/k/a “King Casino,” a/k/a “Mike Hill,” was found guilty of sex trafficking by force, fraud, or coercion, and related offenses. PURCELL was convicted following a one-week jury trial before U.S. District Judge Denise L. Cote.

Manhattan U.S. Attorney Geoffrey S. Berman said: “Lavellous Purcell, a/k/a ‘King Casino,’ was a pimp with a notoriously brutal set of rules he used to keep his victims under his control. Besides physical violence and intimidation, Purcell forced the women to dress and act in certain ways, and forced them to brand themselves with a tattoo of his alias, ‘Casino,’ on their necks. Purcell even boasted about his reprehensible abuse of women on social media. Now, Purcell has himself been branded as a felon by a unanimous jury, and faces life in federal prison. We hope today’s verdict brings at least some small measure of comfort to the victims of Purcell’s unconscionable crimes.”

According to the allegations contained in the Indictment and evidence presented during the trial in Manhattan federal court:

From at least in or about 2012 to in or about 2017, LAVELLOUS PURCELL, a/k/a “King Casino,” a/k/a “Mike Hill,” the defendant engaged in the sex trafficking and commercial sexual exploitation of numerous women across the country, including in New York, Pennsylvania, and North Carolina. The defendant recruited, enticed, harbored, transported, provided, obtained, and maintained women for the purposes of commercial sex, and he used violent force, threats of force, coercion, intimidation, and fear to force at least one woman to engage in commercial sex for his own profit. For example, the defendant strangled and choked certain of his victims, he hit and threatened to hit certain of his victims, and he kidnapped certain of his victims.

The victims of the defendant’s prostitution business were required to follow a strict set of rules, which the defendant enforced through threats, fear, intimidation, and violence. The defendant’s rules required his victims to: make the defendant money through prostitution, give the defendant all money earned from any commercial sex acts, call the defendant “Daddy,” not speak to men other than the defendant, not look at any men other than the defendant, not talk back to the defendant, not disrespect the defendant, not have boyfriends, not wear sneakers or loose-fitting clothing, and brand themselves with a tattoo bearing the defendant’s alias, “Casino,” on their necks.

The defendant recruited women to engage in commercial sex through social media websites, and he used Backpage.com, an online classifieds website, to post advertisements for commercial sex. The defendant also booked various rental cars and hotel rooms to transport women across state lines to engage in commercial sex. Meanwhile, the defendant boasted about the violence he used against women and his prostitution of women through social media posts, phone, text, and online communications, and in person.

To date, law enforcement agents have identified numerous women who have engaged in commercial sex at the defendant’s direction.

* * *

LAVELLOUS PURCELL, a/k/a “King Casino,” a/k/a “Mike Hill,” 40, of Hempstead, New York, was convicted of one count of sex trafficking by force, fraud, or coercion, one count of enticement to engage in prostitution, one count of transporting individuals in interstate commerce to engage in prostitution, one count of using interstate commerce to promote prostitution, and one count of conspiring to use interstate facilities to promote prostitution. The defendant faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years’ imprisonment, as well as maximum potential sentences that are prescribed by Congress and provided below for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the judge.

Any individuals who believe they have information that may be relevant to the investigation should contact the FBI at 1-212-384-1000 or https://tips.fbi.gov/.

Mr. Berman thanked the FBI and NYPD for their outstanding investigative work in this matter. Mr. Berman also thanked the New York County District Attorney’s Office for its assistance with this investigation.

This case is being handled by the Office’s General Crimes Unit.

Charge:

18:2422.F ENTICEMENT TO ENGAGE IN UNLAWFUL ACTIVITIES
(1)
18:2421.F MANN ACT
(2)
18:1952-7470.F USE OF INTERSTATE COMMERCE TO PROMOTE UNLAWFUL ACTIVITY
(3)
18:371.F CONSPIRACY TO USE INTERSTATE COMMERCE TO PROMOTE UNLAWFUL ACTIVITY
(4)
18:1591.F SEX TRAFFICKING BY FORCE, FRAUD, AND COERCION
(5)

Outcome: 10/19/2018 68 TRANSCRIPT of Proceedings as to Lavelleous Purcell re: Hearing held on 10/3/18 before Judge Denise L. Cote. Court Reporter/Transcriber: Pamela Utter, (212) 805-0300, Transcript may be viewed at the court public terminal or purchased through the Court Reporter/Transcriber before the deadline for Release of Transcript Restriction. After that date it may be obtained through PACER. Redaction Request due 11/9/2018. Redacted Transcript Deadline set for 11/19/2018. Release of Transcript Restriction set for 1/17/2019. (McGuirk, Kelly) (Entered: 10/19/2018)
10/19/2018 69 NOTICE OF FILING OF OFFICIAL TRANSCRIPT as to Lavelleous Purcell. Notice is hereby given that an official transcript of a Hearing proceeding held on 10/3/18 has been filed by the court reporter/transcriber in the above-captioned matter. The parties have seven (7) calendar days to file with the court a Notice of Intent to Request Redaction of this transcript. If no such Notice is filed, the transcript may be made remotely electronically available to the public without redaction after 90 calendar days.... (McGuirk, Kelly) (Entered: 10/19/2018)
10/19/2018 Minute Entry for proceedings held before Judge Denise L. Cote:Jury Trial as to Lavelleous Purcell held on 10/19/2018. Jury verdict reached. Jury finds the defendant guilty as charged. Verdict unanimous. PSI Ordered.Sentence date set for January 22, 2019 at 2 p.m. Defendants sentencing submission due January 8. Governments sentencing submission due January 15.Defendants post-trial motions are due November 16, 2018. Governments response due December 14. Reply, if any, due December 21.Detention continued. (Court Reporter Andrew Walker and Michael McDaniel) (gr) (Entered: 10/19/2018)
10/19/2018 Set Deadlines/Hearings as to Lavelleous Purcell:Post-trial Motions due by 11/16/2018. Response due by 12/14/2018. Reply due by 12/21/2018. Sentencing set for 1/22/2019 at 02:00 PM in Courtroom 18B, 500 Pearl Street, New York, NY 10007 before Judge Denise L. Cote. (gr) (Entered: 10/19/2018)
10/19/2018 70 JURY VERDICT as to Lavelleous Purcell (1) Guilty on Count 1,2,3,4,5. See Verdict Form. (gr) (Entered: 10/19/2018)

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