East New York Man Pleads Guilty To Prostituting 3 Teens, DA Says

EAST NEW YORK, BROOKLYN — A man who prostituted three teenaged girls will spend up to 10 years in prison, according to prosecutors.

Whetsel Wade, 46, pleaded guilty to exploiting the three young girls — one of whom was only 13-years-old, by advertising them as escorts on Backpage.com from August through November of 2016, the Brooklyn District Attorney’s office announced.

Wade drove the girls, who were 13, 15 and 17 years old, to hotels and private apartments where they were forced to have sex with men who paid Wade, prosecutors said.

Wade, also advertised five women on Backpage and was assisted by Keisa Atkins, 30, according to prosecutors.

He was arrested after police were called to his East New York home and found the 17-year-old girl in his basement, said prosecutors. The East New York man ran away from his house but was caught two days later.

Atkins and Wade both pleaded guilty to promoting prostitution in Brooklyn Supreme Court, prosecutors said.

Wade is expected to serve between five to 10 years in prison and will be required to register as a sex offender, according to prosecutors.

The East New York man is slated to be sentenced on June 20, according to a statement from the Brooklyn District Attorney’s office.

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