NEW: Providence Resident Pleads Guilty to Sex Trafficking

NEW: Providence Resident Pleads Guilty to Sex Trafficking

Providence resident Damien Beverly, 29, has pleaded guilty in federal court to charges that he trafficked two women from Boston to Rhode Island for the purposes of offering them for commercial sexual activity and that he conspired to traffic heroin, which he provided to the women as payment. The announcement was made by United States Attorney Peter Neronha, Matthew Etre, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations for New England, and Colonel Steven O'Donnell, Superintendent of the Rhode Island State Police.

Tariq Rosario, 28, of Boston, Mass., has been charged and pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute heroin on Thursday.

The Incident

GET THE LATEST BREAKING NEWS HERE -- SIGN UP FOR GOLOCAL FREE DAILY EBLAST

According to court records and the information presented to the court, Damien Beverly came across one of the victims in downtown Boston in June or July of 2014. The woman was taken to a hotel room in Warwick rented by Beverly, where he photographed her and convinced her to post an advertisement on Backpage.com, with the intent that she engage in commercial sexual activity.

Several individuals responded to the advertisement over the next several days. All of the money collected by the woman was handed over to Beverly in exchange for housing, food and a daily supply of heroin.

In late September or early October 2014, the first victim was persuaded to return to Rhode Island and to live and work with Beverly and the second victim. The money earned by both women was turned over to Beverly.

Beverly provided the victims between 3-5 grams of heroin, that he obtained from Tariq Rosario, on a daily basis in exchange for the women working as prostitutes.

The Arrests

Based on information developed by the Rhode Island Human Trafficking Task Force, in January 2015, members of the Rhode Island State Police and HSI agents executed a court authorized search warrant at the Providence residence where the victims are staying with Beverly. Beverly was taken into custody and the victims are rescued by law enforcement and provided with support services.

Beverly has been in custody since his arrest on January 13th and Rosario has been in custody since his arrest on September 18th.

Both are scheduled to be sentenced on February 5th, 2016.

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Adi Goldstein.