East Hartford Resident Sentenced to More Than 11 Years in Federal Prison for Child Sex Trafficking

Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that JOEL LINDSAY, also known as “Joey Guapo,” 24, a citizen of Jamaica last residing in East Hartford, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Vanessa L. Bryant in Hartford to 135 months of imprisonment for child sex trafficking.

According to court documents and statements made in court, in October 2019, Lindsay conspired with his associate, Joseph Pina, to recruit, entice and transport a 16-year-old girl to engage in commercial sex acts.  Specifically, on October 17, 2019, Lindsay, Pina and another individual picked up the minor victim and took her to a hotel in East Windsor. At the hotel, they took photographs of the minor victim and posted her photos on a website to advertise her sexual services.  Lindsay and Pina then arranged prostitution appointments for the minor victim.  On that night, the minor victim earned at least $100 from prostitution appointments, all of which she gave to Lindsay.

On October 18, 2019, Lindsay and Pina posted more advertisements on the same web site and arranged prostitution appointments for the minor victim at a hotel in Windsor Locks.  The following two days, Lindsay and Pina posted advertisements on the website and the minor victim saw additional prostitution customers.  The victim again gave all of the money earned through these appointments to Lindsay.

The investigation further revealed that Lindsay and Pina engaged in sexual activity with the minor victim, even though they knew that she was under the age of 18.  The minor victim also reported to investigators that Lindsay physically assaulted her.

Lindsay, a citizen of Jamaica, has been detained since arrest on August 20, 2020.  On October 15, 2021, he pleaded to sex trafficking of a minor.

Lindsay faces immigration proceedings when he completes his prison term.

Pina pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit sex trafficking of a minor and, on March 2, 2022, was sentenced to 96 months of imprisonment.

This matter was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Angel M. Krull.