Man Pleads Guilty to Sex Trafficking at Bel Air Hotel

A man pleaded guilty to sex trafficking of a minor Thursday in a federal case that began when his victim—a 16-year-old girl—called police from a Bel Air hotel, officials said.

Marcell Greene, 28, of Wyandanch, New York faces at least a decade behind bars for sex trafficking of a minor and conspiring to commit sex trafficking of a minor, according to the U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland.

Greene admitted that he and another man posted ads online promoting the girl, then took the teen from New York to Maryland and Virginia, where she performed sex acts for money in hotels, the U.S. Attorney said in a statement.

The girl called 911 from a hotel in Bel Air on April 12, 2015, and told authorities something was thrown at her because she refused to perform a certain sex act. When law enforcement from the Harford County Sheriff's Office and a child protective services worker arrived, they found that the girl's right cheek and temple were swollen and bruised, officials reported.

Text messages between Greene and another man involved in the operation referenced commercial sex, and investigators also verified that Greene had registered and paid for hotel rooms in a variety of areas where the victim performed sex acts, according to the U.S. Attorney.

Greene will be sentenced on Oct. 14. He is facing a mandatory minimum of 10 years in prison for sex trafficking of a minor, which officials say carries a maximum sentence of life in prison. He could face a life sentence for conspiracy to commit sex trafficking of a minor and may have up to a lifetime of supervised release as well.

Anyone who suspects human trafficking may call the Homeland Security tip line at 866-DHS-2ICE (1-866-347-2423) or submit an online tip. Investigators conduct around-the-clock monitoring.

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