Posted on: August 28, 2025 09:56 AM

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Barbados national convicted by a jury of sex trafficking

Suffolk County District Attorney Raymond A. Tierney today announced that Michael Howell, 65, from Brooklyn and originally from Barbados, was found guilty of Sex Trafficking and other related charges, after a jury trial. Using drugs and physical violence Howell compelled the victim to engage in sex acts for money.

“Michael Howell preyed upon his victim by using crack, heroin and violence to maintain control over her in order to profit from her exploitation,” said District Attorney Tierney. “The use of addictive substances to keep trafficking victims dependent and compliant is a particularly cruel tactic employed by human traffickers. I commend the dedicated work of our Human Trafficking Unit prosecutors and the Suffolk County Police Department’s Human Trafficking Unit for ensuring justice was served.”

The evidence at trial established that, from approximately April 1, 2023 through February 1, 2024, Howell forced the victim to engage in sexual acts with others for money throughout Suffolk County and adjoining counties. Howell rented hotel rooms and posted advertisements depicting the victim on websites typically used to advertise sex for money.

To gain control over the victim, Howell gave her crack-cocaine and heroin and would take any money from the sexual acts that she was forced to perform.  When the victim refused to engage in sexual acts, Howell resorted to physical violence and threats to gain the victim’s compliance, including slamming her head into a wall.

During the time in which Howell maintained control over the victim, he also told her that she owed him money for the drugs that he provided to her and for the hotel room that she stayed in. At the time of his arrest on February 1, 2024, Howell was found in possession of fentanyl and a large quantity of cocaine.

From DA