A 20-year-old man accused of pimping out his underage girlfriend online in Virginia Beach pleaded not guilty in federal court on Wednesday.
Joshua Manuel Treat, of the 2900 block of Lyme Regis Quay, is accused of forcing a 14-year-old girl to prostitute herself on Backpage, an international classified website, in October and November. He is also accused of possessing a pornographic picture of himself and the girl, according to documents filed in the Eastern District Court of Virginia.
While investigating prostitution in Virginia Beach, an undercover police department detective began talking to Treat online and through text messages. On Oct. 12, the detective set up an appointment to meet Treat at a hotel. The detective offered to pay Treat $250 to watch him have sex with the underage girl, according to court documents.
An underage male dropped Treat and the girl off at the hotel where they went to a room and met with the detective. After discussing arrangements, the pair accepted $400 from the detective, who arrested them.
When questioned, the girl told police she agreed to come to the hotel for prostitution, but later told Treat she was uncomfortable with a stranger watching them have sex. Treat convinced her to go anyway, but said if she was uncomfortable they could rob the customer and leave, court documents state.
The girl also told police Treat set her up for other prostitution appointments, in which she would either have sex with or rob the clients. She was usually high during these appointments, often on heroin that Treat injected into her.
Treat is charged with sex trafficking of children, use of interstate commerce in furtherance of prostitution, possession of child pornography, distribution of narcotics to a person under twenty one and forfeiture.
He requested a jury trial, which is scheduled for March 14.
Mayfield can be reached at [email protected].
