Local Residents Sentenced in Trafficking & Rape Case

By Katie McFadden

Local residents were recently sentenced in a case of human trafficking and rape. Last week, Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced that Marilyn Roque was sentenced on Wednesday, July 16 to 7 1⁄2 years in prison for the sex trafficking of a child, sex trafficking by force, labor trafficking and endangering the welfare of a child. Roque forced a 14-year-old girl to have sex for money with a 49-year-old man. On the morning of Wednesday, July 23, that man, codefendant Jesus Juarez-Reyes, was sentenced to six months of prison for patronizing a person for prostitution and just 10 years of probation for rape in the third degree.

Roque, 30, of Beach 114th Street in Rockaway, pleaded guilty in May to sex trafficking of a child, sex trafficking by force, labor trafficking and endangering the welfare of a child. Queens Supreme Court Justice Peter Vallone sentenced her last week to 7 1⁄2 years in prison for each sex trafficking charge, 2 1/3 to seven years for labor trafficking and 364 days in jail for endangering the welfare of a child, to run concurrently.

According to the charges, the victim came to the United States from El Salvador in September 2022 and lived with Roque. On December 31, 2022, Roque forced the victim, who was then 14, to have sex with Juarez-Reyes, who was 49, in exchange for $600.

Roque also forced the victim to care for her children and to take over her shifts at a restaurant. The victim was ordered to give the earnings to Roque. The defendant threatened the victim with deportation if she did not comply and often kept the child out of school. Roque was originally arrested on April 3, 2024.

District Attorney Melinda Katz said, “This defendant took advantage of a child and forced the 14-year-old to engage in prostitution and work shifts at a restaurant for her own financial gain. I thank the brave teenager who came forward and gave us information to build this case and get justice. The trafficking of children – and stripping them of their dignity through forced sex and labor exploitation – is particularly sinister. If you are aware of anyone who may be trafficked, please contact our Human Trafficking Bureau at 718-286-6548.”

Roque’s codefendant, Jesus Juarez-Reyes, 51, of Beach 113th Street in Rockaway Park, pleaded guilty to rape in the third degree and patronizing a person for prostitution. On July 23, he was sentenced. He received six-months imprisonment for the prostitution charge and 10 years’ probation for the rape charge.  He also has to pay more than $1,000 in fees and surcharges by September 30.

Both Roque and Juarez-Reyes will have to register as sex offenders.

According to someone who lives near the defendants and is familiar with the situation, the 14-year-old girl is allegedly the younger sister of Roque, who brought her to the U.S. from El Salvador to work and babysit her kids, but Roque instead trafficked her. Roque’s children are allegedly in the care of her parents. The victim is allegedly in the care of a city-run agency.

Assistant District Attorney Felicia Thomas of the District Attorney’s Human Trafficking Bureau prosecuted the case under the supervision of Assistant District Attorney Jessica Melton, Bureau Chief, and under the overall supervision of Executive Assistant District Attorney for Investigations Gerard A. Brave.