What to Know
- A New York City man is facing sex trafficking and other charges in connection with a woman who has been missing since 2011, prosecutors say
- Ishi Woney, 23, of New York, New York, was arrested Wednesday and charged with crimes in connection with missing woman Corinna Slusser
- Slusser has been missing since 2017; If convicted of the charges he faces, Woney could spend anywhere up to life in prison
A New York City man is facing sex trafficking and other charges in connection with a woman who has been missing since 2017, prosecutors announced.
Ishi Woney, 23, of New York, New York, is charged with the use of an interstate facility to promote, manage, and carry on prostitution, sex trafficking by means of force, threats, fraud and coercion, and with violating the Mann Act after being arrested Wednesday, Geoffrey S. Berman, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, said.
If found guilty of the charges, Woney could spend anywhere between 5 years and life in prison.
Attorney information for Woney was not immediately available.
According to court documents, between starting around September 2017, Woney allegedly engaged in sex trafficking by using force, fraud, and coercion to compel at least one female victim, identified as Victim-1” to engage in sex acts in the Bronx and other locations in exchange for money.
Prosecutors allege Woney also transported Victim-1 to multiple states, including New York, to engage in prostitution and purchased online ads promoting prostitution. Allegedly, some of the ads featured Victim-1 and Corinna Slusser, who has been a missing since Sept. 20, 2017, and was last seen in Queens.
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“Human trafficking is a top priority for the FBI, and, as today’s charges demonstrate, we will continue to aggressively pursue justice for the victims of these heinous crimes. Ms. Slusser was last seen in Queens, New York, and we ask anyone with information concerning her whereabouts to contact us as 1-800-CALL-FBI or online at tips.fbi.gov,” FBI Assistant Director-in-Charge William F. Sweeny Jr. said in a statement.
NYPD Commissioner James P. O’Neill called the crime “the most heinous to society” and hopes the charges will bring justice for the victims.
“Today’s charges further affirm the NYPD’s unwavering commitment to protecting the victims of sex trafficking in and around the five boroughs of New York City. This crime is among the most heinous in society, and it is our job – and the job of all of our local, state, and federal law enforcement partners – to ensure that anyone who would seek to profit through the abuse and exploitation of another human being be brought to justice swiftly and successfully,” O’Neill said.
Berman expressed similar sentiments saying his office “will continue to work with the FBI and NYPD to protect prospective victims of human trafficking and arrest and prosecute their predators.”
Authorities urge anyone with information related to the whereabouts of Corinna Slusser, to contact the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI or online at tips.fbi.gov, or the NYPD at 800-577-TIPS.
