Leah B. Foley United States Attorney for the District of Massachusetts | Department of Justice
A Cambridge man has been charged with sex trafficking after authorities allege he forced a woman to engage in commercial sex across several states, including Massachusetts, Florida, South Carolina, Tennessee, New Jersey, Connecticut and Maine.
Daniel Rodriguez, 36, faces one count of sex trafficking by force, fraud or coercion. He is currently held on state charges and is expected to appear in federal court in Boston at a later date.
According to charging documents, Rodriguez allegedly trafficked a 27-year-old woman for commercial sex acts in multiple states. The documents also claim that Rodriguez has trafficked several women—including a minor—between 2017 and 2026.
Authorities allege that Rodriguez began trafficking the most recent victim in 2025. When she tried to leave him in early January 2026, Rodriguez allegedly posed as a sex buyer online to locate her and compelled her return to Boston. On January 13, law enforcement stopped his car for a traffic violation while he was transporting the victim between hotels for commercial sex. As officers approached the vehicle, Rodriguez reportedly sped away at over 100 mph while blaming the victim for the stop. After crashing the vehicle and fleeing on foot—leaving the injured victim behind—Rodriguez allegedly sent an accomplice to pick her up from the hospital and advertised her services again within hours of her discharge. He was arrested in Middleboro on January 14 on a state warrant issued out of Quincy District Court.
The federal complaint alleges that Rodriguez used violence and threats against his victims from at least 2017 onward. He is accused of tracking down women who attempted to leave him.
If convicted of sex trafficking by force, fraud or coercion—a charge carrying a minimum sentence of 15 years imprisonment and up to life—Rodriguez could also face at least five years supervised release and fines up to $250,000. Sentencing would be determined by a federal judge according to U.S. Sentencing Guidelines.
"United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Ted E. Docks Special Agent in Charge of Federal Bureau of Investigations; and Colonel Geoffrey D. Noble, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police made the announcement today."
"Assistant U.S. Attorneys Elizabeth Riley and Craig Estes of the Human Trafficking & Civil Rights Unit are prosecuting the case."
"If you or someone you know may be impacted or experiencing commercial sex trafficking, please contact USAMA.VictimAssistance@usdoj.gov."
"The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law."
