Hungarian Man Faces 155 Years In Prison For Human Trafficking, Used Young Gay Men As Sex Slaves In Miami Apartment
A Hungarian man, Andras Vass, 25, now faces 155 years in prison after 12 jurors found him guilty of human trafficking and racketeering on Thursday, according to Miami Herald.
Vass is one of three men – Viktor Berki, 28, and Gabor Acs, 31, who are former policemen – who operated an illegal company called Never Sleep, Inc. in 2012. They’d force men from their country to return with them to the U.S, and engage in sexual acts with other men for up 20 hours per day.
“Berki told (one of the victims) he was a policeman in Hungary with a lot of contacts there which (the victim) understood to be a threat to him and his family,” a warrant stated.
Andras Vass, A Man in Hungarian gay sex-slave ring convicted of human trafficking in Miami http://t.co/UOP7w5kBAp pic.twitter.com/8z2QDy5uIc
— Leonor Anti Trata (@LeonorAntiTrata) April 10, 2015
The company was operated in a small one-bedroom apartment in New York City, but for unknown reasons the trio decided to later move to Miami. Sources say the three men would have up to eight men – who they’d meet online through a site called gayromeo.com – prostituting themselves in the apartment.
Sometimes, they’d force the victims to perform sexual acts live on camera for their clients.
The victims stayed in the apartment day and night as they were not allowed to leave. One of the three men claimed it was because none of the men were fluent in English nor were they familiar with the area. But in actuality, the men were in fear they’d get caught and face human trafficking charges.
If the men didn’t comply, they would threaten them as well as their families back home in Hungary.
When police received an anonymous tip about three men being held against their will in an apartment, they were able to make an arrest. Berki and Acs were arrested in New York City while Vass was arrested in Miami.
Federal Agent Alysa Erichs told reporters at Miami Herald that “This case serves as a reminder that sex trafficking is not limited to any particular race, gender, age or sexual orientation.”
Miami State Attorney Katherine Fernandez Rundle claims, “The overall attractiveness of our South Florida area is equally attractive to sex traffickers. These individuals may have come from a different country to exploit the vulnerable. But they used the same basic trafficker tools of fear and intimidation to make their profits.”
Vass will be appearing in court on June 2 in front of Judge Richard Hersch for sentencing, and he could serve 155 years in prison.
Acs and Berki are still awaiting trial for human trafficking charges and racketeering.
[Image courtesy of G.S Matthews/Flickr]
