Tyrone Stylistic Crooks was charged in a 12-count indictment unsealed in federal court in Central Islip on Mar. 12 with sex trafficking, sexual exploitation of minors, and transportation for prostitution involving five victims, including three minor girls aged 14 to 17. Crooks was arrested the previous day and is scheduled to be arraigned before United States Magistrate Judge Lee G. Dunst.
The case highlights ongoing concerns about the exploitation of vulnerable individuals, particularly minors, through threats, violence, and manipulation for commercial sex acts. The U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of New York supports community outreach and victim assistance efforts, according to the official website.
"As alleged, the defendant preyed on vulnerable members of the community, subjecting his victims to threats, violence, and manipulation so that he could sell their bodies for his own profit," said United States Attorney Joseph Nocella, Jr. "Today’s arrest demonstrates our Office’s unwavering commitment to aggressively prosecute sex traffickers, especially when minors are involved." Nocella also thanked several law enforcement agencies for their contributions to the investigation.
FBI Newark Special Agent in Charge Stefanie Roddy said: "Cases like this remind us that children in our communities are still being exploited by traffickers who see them as commodities rather than young people with futures. Our priority is identifying victims, protecting them, and holding those responsible fully accountable. If someone sees a young person who may be in danger or under someone else’s control, we urge them to report it to the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI. A single call could help protect a child from ongoing abuse." FBI Assistant Director in Charge James C. Barnacle added: "Tyrone Crooks allegedly threatened, assaulted, and forced three minors to engage in sexual acts and produce sexually explicit content for his own personal gain. Through his alleged trafficking of these young girls, they were subjected to significant cruelty and unthinkable sexual abuse... The FBI continues to coordinate with our federal and local law enforcement partners to apprehend sexual predators and traffickers targeting vulnerable victims, especially children."
Court filings allege that since at least 2021 Crooks operated as a pimp across Brooklyn, Queens, Long Island—including Westbury, Woodbury, Hicksville, Melville, Bethpage, and Huntington—recruiting out-of-state minors via online communications for prostitution in New York. He allegedly produced sexually exploitative images of these minors for internet advertisements promoting commercial sex acts.
If convicted on charges involving force or coercion or sexual exploitation of a minor or trafficking a minor across state lines for prostitution purposes involving children under age 18 years old—Crooks faces mandatory minimum sentences ranging from ten years up to life imprisonment.
The U.S. Attorney's Office maintains offices in Brooklyn and Central Islip; it handles federal crime prosecutions as well as civil matters representation within its jurisdiction according to its official website. Breon Peace leads the office as United States Attorney; its coverage area includes Brooklyn (Kings County), Queens (Queens County), Staten Island (Richmond County), Nassau County (Long Island), Suffolk County (Long Island). The office operates as the designated federal prosecutor's office for this district.
