Man Gets Prison For Sex Trafficking Teen At Northern CT Hotels

HARTFORD, CT — An East Hartford man was sentenced Wednesday to eight years in prison, followed by five years of supervised release, for a child sex trafficking offense involving a 16-year-old girl.

Joseph Pina, 24, pleaded guilty last October to one count of conspiracy to commit sex trafficking of a minor. He had been free on bond following his plea, according to Leonard C. Boyle, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut.

According to court documents and statements made in court, Pina conspired with an associate, Joel Lindsay, to recruit, entice and transport a 16-year-old girl to engage in commercial sex acts in October 2019. On Oct. 17 of that year, the two plus another person picked up the girl and took her to a hotel in East Windsor, where they took photographs and posted her photos on a website to advertise her sexual services. Pina and Lindsay then arranged prostitution appointments for the girl. On that night, she earned at least $100 from prostitution appointments, all of which she gave to Lindsay, Boyle said.

The next day, Pina and Lindsay posted more advertisements on the same website and arranged prostitution appointments for the girl at a hotel in Windsor Locks. The following two days, Pina and Lindsay posted advertisements on the website and the girl saw additional prostitution customers. Again, she gave all of the money earned through these appointments to Lindsay, Boyle said.

Further investigation revealed Pina and Lindsay engaged in sexual activity with the girl, even though they knew she was under age 18. The girl also reported to investigators that Lindsay physically assaulted her, according to Boyle.

On Oct. 15, 2021, Lindsay, also known as “Joey Guapo,” pleaded guilty to one count of sex trafficking of a minor. A citizen of Jamaica, he has been detained since his arrest on Aug. 20, 2020. He is scheduled to be sentenced April 13, Boyle said.