A California man has been arrested and charged with sex trafficking a minor. Ibrahim Abdul-Alim Bin Hajj Yahya Abdul-Malik, 37, from San Jose, was apprehended on March 10, 2025. He faces charges of sex trafficking a minor and made his initial court appearance in the Northern District of California. A future court date is set for Boston.
According to charging documents, law enforcement received information on December 11, 2024, about a 17-year-old being advertised for commercial sex acts online in Boston. The victim had been reported missing from Ohio since August 2024. Investigators found advertisements featuring the minor's photos and a contact number for arranging encounters. An undercover operation led to the recovery of the victim at a Cambridge hotel and seizure of her iPhone.
The investigation suggests that Malik began trafficking the minor around November 13, 2024, posting ads in various states and altering her age to appear as if she were 20 years old to evade detection.
Authorities allege they found messages on the victim’s phone from Malik discussing commercial sex acts. Malik allegedly directed payments to be sent to a Zelle account he controlled and kept all profits after confirming receipt.
Malik reportedly fled Boston immediately after the December undercover operation by purchasing an airline ticket for a flight departing at 6 a.m. on December 12, bound for San Jose.
The charge carries severe penalties including a mandatory minimum sentence of ten years up to life imprisonment, supervised release between five years and life, and fines up to $250,000. Sentencing will be determined by federal guidelines.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley announced the arrest alongside Jodi Cohen from the FBI's Boston Division. Homeland Security Investigations in San Jose and Arlington Police Department provided assistance in this case which is prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Craig Estes.
"The details contained in the charging documents are allegations," authorities remind; "the defendant is presumed innocent unless proven guilty beyond reasonable doubt."
For those impacted or experiencing commercial sex trafficking issues: USAMA.VictimAssistance@usdoj.gov offers support resources.