13 men charged after allegedly soliciting sex from undercover officers near Mass. and Cass

One man was arrested and 12 others are facing court dates following an undercover operation conducted Tuesday night into Wednesday morning by police near the area of Roxbury known as Mass. and Cass. The men are facing charges that they traveled to the area to exploit human trafficking victims, according to Suffolk County District Attorney Kevin Hayden’s office. 

Andy Morales, 43, of Dorchester was arraigned Wednesday for solicitation of a prostitute. Later in the day, he was arraigned again on a warrant charging violation of an abuse prevention order and breaking and entering with intent to commit a misdemeanor.

The operation was conducted by members of the Boston Police Department, the Massachusetts State Police, and the Arlington Police Department. The undercover units were aiming to reduce the demand for commercial sexual exploitation, Hayden’s office said. 

“Human trafficking is a violent industry that preys on vulnerable individuals – primarily women who have experienced trauma – and profits from their exploitation. In many cases, trafficking victims receive little if any of the profits from the so-called ‘dates’ they are forced to go on, and instead experience violent assaults and rapes by their exploiters. My office is committed to helping victims escape this life and ending exploitation. One of the ways we do that is through operations to reduce the demand for commercial sexual exploitation like this that target the buyers who are willing to line the pockets of human traffickers and subsidize the harm they inflict,” Hayden said in a statement. 

Throughout the night, an undercover BPD officer and Massachusetts State Trooper posed as human trafficking victims working as sex workers in the area of Massachusetts Avenue and Melnea Cass Boulevard. Thirteen men, including Morales, agreed to pay cash or provide drugs in return for sexual acts, according to Hayden’s office. The men ranged in age from 25 to 64. Some were Boston residents, while others came from Malden, Medford, Randolph, New Bedford, and Orlando, Florida.

Twelve of the men were summonsed to court for arraignment at a later date, but Morales was found to have an outstanding default warrant due to the fact that he failed to appear for arraignment on a charge of violating an abuse prevention order. Police then arrested him. 

On Wednesday, Morales was released on personal recognizance and ordered to stay away from Mass. and Cass and from any victim. A few hours later, Morales appeared in court in Dorchester for arraignment regarding his previous case. Another judge released Morales on personal recognizance. He was ordered not to have any contact with the person who initially sought the restraining order against him. 

In a statement, Hayden called for a wider response to the issues plaguing Mass. and Cass. 

“The public health and public safety crises that are centered in the area of Mass. and Cass are not simply an issue for Boston officials to address,” he said. “We see individuals travel into this area to prey on those who are vulnerable and struggling. Addressing the issues faced in this area will require a response not just from Boston, and not just from law enforcement. This requires a statewide response from elected officials, the public health sector, and all of us.”

Survivors of human trafficking or those with information on or concerns about human trafficking can call the Polaris Project’s national human trafficking resource center hotline at 888-373-7888 or send a text to “BeFree” (233733). In Suffolk County, survivors of commercial sexual exploitation of all ages can access services through My Life My Choice at 617-396-7807.