E. Hartford Man Sentenced For Sex Trafficking Minors

EAST HARTFORD, CT — An East Hartford man has been sentenced to ten years in federal prison for sex trafficking of a minor, according to a statement from John H. Durham, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut. Alexander Pedraza, 28, will also serve five years' supervised release.

According to the statement, Pedraza promoted the prostitution of a 16-year-old girl by advertising the victim’s prostitution services and soliciting clients on Backpage.com.

In March 2017, he harbored the victim in motel rooms he rented in Hartford, Windsor and East Windsor, where clients met the victim and paid for sex acts. Pedraza also had sexual contact with the victim.

The investigation also revealed that, between September and December 2016, Pedraza engaged in sex trafficking of at least two 18-year-old females, according to the statement.

Pedraza has been detained since his arrest on May 26, 2017.

He pleaded guilty to one count of sex trafficking of a minor in February.

This investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the East Windsor Police Department, through the Connecticut Human Trafficking Task Force. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Neeraj N. Patel and Sarala V. Nagala.