Freddie Rice used narcotics and financial coercion to force victims into sexual acts and now he faces 50 years in prison.
Suffolk County District Attorney Raymond A. Tierney announced that Rice, 34, of Bay Shore, was found guilty after a jury trial of Sex Trafficking for using narcotics and financial coercion to induce victims to engage in sexual acts with third parties in exchange for money.
“Today, justice was served,” said District Attorney Tierney. “Freddie Rice’s crimes were calculated, predatory, and devastating to his victims. My office encourages anyone who is a victim of sex trafficking to call 911 or the Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office Human Trafficking Tipline at (631) 852-2950.”
The evidence at trial established that Rice preyed upon the drug addictions of multiple women to coerce them to engage in sexual acts with various men for his own profit. Each of the victims was addicted to heroin and/or crack cocaine, which he withheld to ensure that they complied with his directives, namely, by responding to buyers of sex and charging specific fees for specific sexual acts.
The victims were required to hand over all the money that they earned to Rice. If they were caught keeping any of the money for themselves, Rice “punished” them by withholding the drugs that they were addicted to, causing the victims to experience intense and dangerous physical withdrawal symptoms.
Rice was convicted after a jury trial heard before Supreme Court Justice John B. Collins of two counts of Sex Trafficking, Class B felonies, and one count of Promoting Prostitution in the Third Degree, a Class D felony.
Rice is awaiting sentencing on an unrelated conviction for two Class B felonies. He has four additional prior felony convictions. He is also certified as a sex offender as a result of this conviction.