Second Man Convicted in Harford Sex Trafficking Case

BEL AIR, MD — A New York man was convicted by a federal grand jury Thursday of sex trafficking involving a minor and related charges brought after a teen called 911 from a hotel in Harford County last year, officials said.

Following a nine-day trial, Raymond Idemudia Aigbekaen, 29, of Amityville, New York, was found guilty of trafficking a 16 year-old girl for prostitution in Maryland, Virginia, and New York.

The girl was taken to various hotels from late February through April 12, 2015, which was the day the victim called 911 from a motel room in the Bel Air area, according to the U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland.

The victim told authorities something was thrown at her because she refused to perform a certain sex act, Patch previously reported. 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.

The hotel where the victim placed the 911 call in Harford County was Homewood Suites in the 4000 block of Philadelphia Road, according to The Aegis. The hotel is located near where MD 543 meets Interstate 95.

Authorities said they identified Aigbekaen as the person who rented the hotel room from April 11 to 12, 2015, for the victim, himself and another man (Marcell Greene), who was convicted in June for his role in the case.

DNA from tissues and condoms in the hotel room matched Greene, and officials said Aigbekaen was identified as a potential contributor to stains on the victim's underwear. Additional evidence tied Aigbekaen to the crime, according to officials. He rented rooms elsewhere in Maryland and in Fredericksburg and Virginia Beach, Virginia; online advertisements promoting the victim for prostitution in those areas were created using Aigbekaen’s email accounts; and in some cases, the ads listed his phone number, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office, which said photos used in the ads were found on his computer.

Sentencing is slated for Feb. 7, 2017. Aigbekaen is facing a mandatory minimum of 10 years in prison for sex trafficking of a minor, which officials say carries a maximum life sentence.

Related: Man Pleads Guilty to Sex Trafficking at Bel Air Hotel

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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