Dorchester man held without bail on charges of assault and battery, sex trafficking a minor

A Dorchester man is being held without bail after he allegedly lured an underage girl to Massachusetts and trafficked her for sex, according to Suffolk County District Attorney Kevin Hayden.

Jimall “Progress Lu” Dawn Brown, 33, is facing charges of trafficking a person under 18 for sexual servitude and assault and battery on a household or family member, the district attorney said in a release Tuesday.

A dangerousness hearing was held in the South Division of Boston Municipal Court on Aug. 18. On Monday, Judge Pamela Dashiell ordered that Brown be held without bail after finding him to be dangerous under state law, Hayden said.

Brown reportedly met the victim, a minor, on social media and arranged for her to travel to Boston from another state.

When the victim arrived, he allegedly took her to a hotel immediately and began advertising her on websites for commercial sex.

Brown, who is represented by Attorney Brad Stanton, made thousands of dollars off of trafficking the underage victim for sex with men, according to Hayden. He allegedly beat the girl on several occasions, the district attorney added.

“The facts of this case are deeply disturbing,” Hayden said. “This man is accused of luring a vulnerable teen to a city and state where she knew no one, then sexually exploiting and violently beating her. 

“My office and our partners in law enforcement and victim services treat these allegations with the seriousness they deserve, and we are available to provide victim-centered services and supports the survivors of human trafficking,” the district attorney continued.

Hayden encouraged survivors of human trafficking or those with information or concerns related to human trafficking to call the Polaris Project’s national human trafficking resource center hotline at 888-373-7888 or send a text to “BeFree” (233733). 

Locally, the Boston Police Department Human Trafficking Unit can be reached at 617-343-6533.  In Suffolk County, survivors of commercial sexual exploitation of all ages can access services through My Life My Choice at 617-396-7807.

Those concerned that a child is being exploited online may also report a Cybertip to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children at 1-800-THE-LOST or www.cybertipline.com.