Defendant Pleads Guilty to Two Counts of Sex Trafficking for Compelling
Two Teenagers to Engage in Prostitution

Defendant Pleads Guilty to Attempted Assault in the First Degree for Knife Attack

Orange County District Attorney David M. Hoovler announced that on Friday, September 28, 2018, Franiqua Patterson, 25, of Newburgh, pleaded guilty before Orange County Court Judge Craig Stephen Brown to two counts Sex Trafficking for forcing two female teenagers to engage in prostitution activity. Patterson also pleaded guilty to Attempted Assault in the First Degree, for injuring a woman with a knife in January 2018.

At the time that she pleaded guilty, Patterson admitted that between November 12, 2017, and February 5, 2018, she compelled a fifteen-year-old girl to engage in prostitution activity by threats of physical violence. Patterson admitted that she forced the girl to act as a prostitute by beating and threatening her. Patterson also admitted taking most the money that the girl had received from acts of prostitution. Patterson also admitted that between February 20, 2018, and April 5, 2018, she compelled a nineteen-year-old girl to engage in acts of prostitution by threatening her and beating her. Patterson admitted taking most of the money that the nineteen- year-old had received from engaging in prostitution activity.

Patterson also admitted that on January 4, 2018, at approximately 11:44 am, she attempted to assault another woman with a knife inside an apartment on First Street in Newburgh, and that she intended to cause that victim serious physical injury. Prosecutors had argued that the victim suffered lacerations to her arms.

Pursuant to a plea agreement placed on the record at the time that Patterson pleaded guilty, she will be sentenced to twelve years in prison, and five years post-release supervision, when she is sentenced on December 17, 2018.

District Attorney Hoovler thanked the City of Newburgh Police Department for their investigation and the arrest of Patterson.

The sex trafficking cases are being prosecuted by Senior Assistant District Attorney Maryellen Albanese. The assault case is being prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Neal Eriksen.

“Predators who target vulnerable teenagers in order to entrap them in prostitution activity deserve the harshest prison sentences possible,” said District Attorney Hoovler. “Sex Trafficking cases shall always be a high priority in my office. I am grateful for the City of Newburgh Police Department’s investigation of this case and their arrest of this defendant. Victims of sex trafficking, including the victims of this defendant, deserve the full support of the community as they work to recover from the effects of these crimes. This defendant has admitted committing repeated acts of violence, both with a weapon and without one, and the community will be safer during the over decade-long period that she will be in prison.”

A criminal charge is merely an allegation that a defendant has committed a violation of the criminal law, and it is not evidence of guilt. All defendants are presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial, during which it will be the State of New York’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.