A Massachusetts man admitted Wednesday in U.S. District Court in Boston that he engaged in sex trafficking after he met a woman in January 2014 at a friend’s apartment in Portland.
Akil J. DeCoteau, 28, of Boston pleaded guilty to one count each of transportation of an individual with intent to engage in prostitution and conspiracy to transport an individual for prostitution, according to a press release issued by the U.S. attorney’s office in Boston.
DeCoteau asked the woman to work for him as a prostitute and said that, in exchange, he would take care of her and provide her with food and shelter, the press release said. The woman, who was homeless at the time, agreed.
By pleading guilty, DeCoteau admitted that he took the woman to a hotel in Westbrook, rented a room and posted advertisements online offering sex with the woman for a fee. DeCoteau charged men between $100 to $200 to have sex with the woman, and kept all of the money.
Over the course of two weeks, DeCoteau prostituted the woman in hotels in Maine, Massachusetts and New York, the release said. In each location, DeCoteau posted advertisements online offering sex with the woman for a fee, and then kept the money the woman received in exchange for sexual services.
He is scheduled to be sentenced on Nov. 30.
Last week, DeCoteau’s co-defendant, Kwamaine Wells, 27, of Brockton, Massachusetts, pleaded guilty to four counts of transportation of an individual with intent to engage in prostitution and one count of conspiracy to transport an individual for prostitution, according to the U.S. attorney’s office in Boston.
By pleading guilty, Wells admitted that between April 2013 and February 2014, Wells transported four women between Maine, Massachusetts and New York with the intent that they engage in prostitution, and used force and threats to coerce two of the women to engage in prostitution.
Wells is scheduled to be sentenced on Dec. 1.
To reach an advocate for victims of sexual assault, call the Statewide Sexual Assault Crisis and Support Line at 800-871-7741, TTY 888-458-5599. This free and confidential 24-hour service is accessible from anywhere in Maine. Calls are automatically routed to the closest assistance.