Rockland Pair Accused Of Sex Trafficking At Least 10 Women Across Several States: DOJ

PEARL RIVER, NY — Federal officials say authorities have broken up a massive sex trafficking operation based in Rockland County.

U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of NY, Jay Clayton, and Assistant Director in Charge of the NY Field Office of the FBI, James C. Barnacle, Jr., announced the arrest on Wednesday of 28-year-old Tyron Dumel, a/k/a "Boogie," and 30-year-old Nicole Dumel, both of Pearl River, in connection with a sex trafficking operation.

The pair was presented before a judge in White Plains federal court on Thursday. Tyron Dumel was ordered to be detained, while Nicole Dumel was released on bond.

Tyron Dumel was charged with one count of sex trafficking by force, fraud, or coercion, which carries 15 years to life in prison; one count of transportation for purposes of prostitution, which carries up to 10 years in prison; and one count of conspiracy to transport individuals for purposes of prostitution, which carries up to five years in prison.

Nicole Dumel was charged with one count of conspiracy to transport individuals for purposes of prostitution, which carries up to five years in prison.

According to court documents, from August 2025 to February 2026, the Dumels conspired to traffic women to engage in prostitution. Prosecutors say Tyron Dumel advertised the trafficking operation on a popular social media platform, which he used to recruit women to engage in commercial sex. As part of the traffic operation, he transported at least ten women to New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Arizona, Tennessee, and Michigan, as well as other places, to engage in commercial sex, according to the indictment.

Prosecutors say Tyron Dumel "used means of force, fraud, and coercion" to cause a victim and others to participate in commercial sex acts. According to the complaint, he physically assaulted the victim and others, threatened to cause physical harm to the victim and others, sprayed the victim and others with pepper spray, forced the victim and others to engage in sexual intercourse with him, required the victim and others to tattoo their bodies with his personal "brand," used his control of the proceeds of his sex trafficking operation to coerce the victim and others to agree to his demands by withholding/threatening to withhold food, and lied to the victim and others about the proceeds of the trafficking operation.

According to the DOJ, Nicole Dumel, as part of the trafficking operation, set up an online account that Tyron Dumel used to post commercial sex advertisements; edited digital photographs of at least one commercial sex worker in order to create commercial sex advertisements; and received electronic funds transfers from purchasers of commercial sex to accounts controlled by Nicole Dumel and routed the funds to accounts controlled by both Dumels. From August 2025 to February 2026, Nicole Dumel received thousands of dollars in proceeds from the sex trafficking operation, according to the indictment.

"The message from New York families is clear: stop the sex trafficking," Clayton said. "It is corroding our communities. Since August 2025, the defendants have allegedly conspired to traffic at least 10 women to engage in commercial sex. In furtherance of that operation, Tyron Dumel allegedly exerted ruthless control over sex trafficking victims through lies, intimidation, violence, and psychological abuse, while he and Nicole Dumel allegedly reaped thousands of dollars in profits. This kind of conduct should shock the conscience of every New Yorker, and it will not be tolerated. This Office and our law enforcement partners are committed to bringing the perpetrators of such crimes to justice."

Clayton praised the investigative work of the FBI New York Office Westchester Safe Streets Task Force, the Greenburgh Police Department, the Clarkstown Police Department, the White Plains Police Department, and the Orangetown Police Department.

"These defendants allegedly operated a human trafficking network in which Tyron Dumel forced victims to engage in sexual acts for profit through physical and psychological coercion, while Nicole Dumel collected their illicit proceeds," Barnacle said. "The Dumels allegedly exploited and abused nearly a dozen women across the country to generate a twisted cash flow. The FBI will target human traffickers who abuse and torment victims for personal enrichment."

The case is being handled by the Office's White Plains Division. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jake Sidransky is in charge of the prosecution.