New York rapper Jimmy Francois, who performs under the name Bentley Bugz, was arraigned March 6 in federal court in Brooklyn after prosecutors charged him in a six-count indictment tied to the alleged trafficking and exploitation of a minor.
Francois is accused of sex trafficking a 16-year-old girl using force, fraud, and coercion, along with coercing and enticing a minor, sexual exploitation of a child, and transporting a person across state lines for prostitution.
If convicted, Francois faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years in prison and could receive a life sentence.
Authorities say the alleged conduct took place between June and August 2024 and involved moving the victim through multiple states, including locations in Queens, New York.
According to court filings, investigators believe Francois forced the teenager to engage in commercial sex acts with numerous clients during that period. Prosecutors also allege that he produced sexually explicit images of the minor and used some of the material in online advertisements promoting prostitution.
Officials say the investigation uncovered evidence that Francois used violence and intimidation to control the victim. Law enforcement recovered a video in which he allegedly assaulted the teenager and issued threatening statements, including telling her, “I will personally break your bones.”
Francois was arrested on Jan. 29 in Miami and was later transported to the Eastern District of New York by the U.S. Marshals Service to face the charges. The arraignment was held before U.S. Magistrate Judge Clay H. Kaminsky.
The case is the result of a multiagency investigation involving Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), U.S. Customs and Border Protection, and other federal, state, and local law enforcement partners.
“As alleged, the defendant preyed on a vulnerable child and sold her body for his own profit, while subjecting her to physical violence and threats,” U.S. Attorney Joseph Nocella Jr. said in a statement.
HSI New York Special Agent in Charge Michael Alfonso described the alleged actions as “depravity in its most vile form,” adding that authorities remain committed to identifying victims and holding traffickers accountable.