QUEENS, NY – A 25-year-old Corona resident has been indicted on charges including patronizing a person for prostitution, criminal solicitation, and child endangerment after prosecutors say he offered money to a 14-year-old girl for a sex act.
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz said Ali Hamed approached the girl on 97th Street in Corona around 7:30 a.m. on June 25 while she was walking to a bus stop for school. Speaking in English and Spanish, Hamed allegedly offered her $50, then $100, to perform the act, while making a lewd hand gesture. The girl fled, told her father, and reported the incident to police.
The NYPD released photos and a description of the suspect, leading to Hamed’s surrender to the 115th Precinct on June 27. Prosecutors say the investigation suggests Hamed may have solicited other victims, and anyone with information is urged to contact the DA’s Human Trafficking Bureau.
Hamed was arraigned in Queens Supreme Court, where Justice Peter Vallone Jr. set his next court date for September 10. If convicted, he faces up to four years in prison.
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Key Points
- Ali Hamed, 25, is accused of offering money to a 14-year-old girl for sex while she was walking to school in Corona
- The victim fled and reported the incident, leading to Hamed’s surrender to police
- He faces charges including prostitution-related offenses, solicitation, and child endangerment
