PATERSON — A man was charged with luring two teenage girls from New York to his New Jersey apartment for prostitution.

Walter Melvin, 29, met the 15 and 16-year old girls in Times Square in September and offered them drugs and the chance to earn money through prostitution at his apartment, Manhattan District Attorney Alvin L. Bragg, Jr., said.

Melvin soon posted ads online ads about the 15-year-old girl, which included nude photos, according to Bragg.

Over the course of six weeks, he arranged for men to come to his apartment and have sex with the girl.

Melvin also raped the 16-year-old several weeks later when she returned to his apartment in an attempt to force her into prostitution, prosecutors said. He frequently beat the 15-year-old, according to Bragg.

Sex trafficking charges

“Walter Melvin allegedly preyed on and took advantage of two teenage girls in a deliberate plan to engage them in prostitution,” Bragg said in a written statement. “Nobody should have to endure the type of psychological, physical and emotional abuse that these young survivors experienced. Our office is focused on prosecuting those who engage in this horrific behavior, while also supporting the survivors throughout these cases and helping them heal.”

Melvin was charged in New York State Supreme Court with two counts of sex trafficking of a child and two counts of sex trafficking.

Dan Alexander is a reporter for New Jersey 101.5. You can reach him at dan.alexander@townsquaremedia.com

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