Boston man indicted for sex trafficking, including a minor

A Boston man has been indicted for a laundry list of crimes, including sex trafficking by force, fraud, or coercion and transporting a minor across state lines with the intent to use them for criminal sexual activity, according to officials. 

Leon Blount III, 30, of Boston allegedly began grooming a young adult known as Jane Doe 1, according to charging documents, beginning in fall 2021.

He allegedly coerced this victim into creating explicit videos to be put online and performing sexual acts on him to earn money, according to officials.

Blount allegedly drove her around Massachusetts, New York, and Connecticut to perform sexual acts for his profit, according to a statement from the U.S. Attorney Rachael S. Rollins’ office. 

“Human trafficking is a form of modern day slavery. Whether labor or sex trafficking, if someone is profiting off of a person they control through threat, force, or coercion, they are committing a felony. We allege that Mr. Blount targeted two victims — one of whom was a minor — whom he groomed and trafficked to engage in commercial sex across multiple states and used extreme violence to keep one of his victims under his control,” Rollins said. 

In September 2022, Jane Doe 1 attempted to leave his control. Blount allegedly threw a rock through the window of a car she was sitting in and then later allegedly ran over her leg, severely injuring her, when she attempted to run, according to the statement. 

After Jane Doe 1 was taken to the hospital, Blount allegedly broke into her apartment and wrote profane language on a wall telling her she wasn’t safe, according to officials. He was then arrested by Lowell police and has remained in police custody since that time, according to officials. 

According to the charging documents, between July and August 2022, Blount allegedly transported a 17-year-old victim called Jane Doe 2 to perform sexual acts for his profit in New York and Connecticut. He met her in a group home and, after allegedly giving her marijuana and alcohol, recruited her, according to officials.

He allegedly posted her on websites advertising sexual acts for profit and allegedly put her in hotel rooms in Woburn, Hartford, and Brooklyn, to perform sexual acts for his profit, according to officials.

“HSI New England, and our law enforcement partners, are constantly watching closely for indicators of human trafficking and child exploitation throughout our community. Today’s indictment is a result of those partnerships and the watchful eyes of all of the dedicated agents and officers involved in this case.  HSI New England will continue to work tirelessly to identify, arrest, and prosecute those involved in human trafficking enterprises in order to keep our communities safe,” said Matthew B. Millhollin, special agent in charge of homeland security investigations in New England. 

Blount will appear in federal court in Boston on Jan. 19, 2023.