Teen Lured For Modeling From Ohio Sex Trafficked In Brooklyn, DA Says

BROOKLYN, NY — A man who sex trafficked a girl he lured to Brooklyn from Ohio with the promise of a modeling career has been caught, according to prosecutors.

Allen Barrington, 37, was arraigned Friday on sex trafficking charges, nearly two months after he first reached out to his 18-year-old victim online and told her he could help her in a nude modeling career, prosecutors said.

Barrington instead forced the girl to become a prostitute in East New York and East Flatbush while threatening her family or assaulting her if she resisted, prosecutors said.

“We allege that this defendant lured a young woman from out of state to come to Brooklyn under false pretenses, then trafficked her for money in exchange for sex," District Attorney Eric Gonzalez said. "I am committed to rescuing and protecting our at-risk teens from predators who seek to harm and exploit them.”

Barrington, who is from East Flatbush, first reached out to the girl online on June 3, promising to pay for her Greyhound bus ticket to visit New York where he would help her become a model, officials said.

Instead, the 37-year-old brought her to an apartment in East New York and told her she had to work as a prostitute at a track in the neighborhood, prosecutors said. There was another girl Barrington had lured from Illinois in the apartment, too, prosecutors said.

"When the victim refused ... telling [Barrington] that this was not the agreement, [he] threatened the victim and threatened to harm her grandparents back in Ohio," prosecutors wrote.

Barrington would force the 18-year-old girl to work as a prostitute across Central Brooklyn for two weeks before she walked into the 75th Precinct to report him, prosecutors said.

During that time, Barrington would take photos of the girl and other victims and post them in ads online, prosecutors said. He was also violent with the girl, at one point trying to tase her, or not letting her stop working until she reached a quota he set, according to prosecutors.

Barrington was arrested on sex trafficking, promoting prostitution, assault and attempted assault charges and is being held without bail, according to the DA's office.

He will return to court in August.