Bronx Man Sentenced To 11 Years In Prison For Sex Trafficking A Minor

Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced today that MICHAEL PASCHAL was sentenced to 11 years in prison by U.S. District Judge Vernon S. Broderick for sex trafficking a minor victim.  Today’s sentencing followed PASCHAL’s conviction on all counts at trial on May 9, 2023.

U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “Michael Paschal trafficked a vulnerable teenager who was one third his age, promising her food and shelter and immediately turning on her.  He exploited the victim for his own financial gain, and when confronted by law enforcement, he showed no remorse for his despicable actions.  Thanks to the courageous testimony of the victim, our law enforcement partners, and the career prosecutors of this Office, today, he was justly sentenced to over a decade in prison for his crimes.”

According to the Indictment and statements made in court proceedings and filings:

In July 2020, PASCHAL induced a minor victim (“Minor Victim-1”) to travel from another state to PASCHAL’s Bronx residence with the intent to sex traffic Minor Victim-1.  PASCHAL operated a prostitution business from that residence in the Bronx.  Minor Victim-1 stayed at PASCHAL’s residence for several weeks in July 2020, during which time PASCHAL directed Minor Victim-1 to engage in commercial sex and profited from it. 

Minor Victim-1 was then returned to her home state, but several weeks later, PASCHAL again began sex trafficking Minor Victim-1 from his residence in the Bronx.  PASCHAL posted prostitution ads containing sexually explicit photographs of Minor Victim-1 and communicated with sex buyers to facilitate commercial sex with Minor Victim-1.

PASCHAL sex trafficked Minor Victim-1, and worked with others to ensure that Minor Victim-1 was engaging in commercial sex for his profit, for weeks until she was recovered from PASCHAL’s residence in or about December 2020.  When confronted, PASCHAL told law enforcement, in sum and substance, “what’s the big deal, she’s about to turn 18 anyway.”

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In addition to the prison term, PASCHAL, 53, of the Bronx, New York, was sentenced to five years of supervised release.

Mr. Williams praised the outstanding work of Homeland Security Investigations. 

The case is being prosecuted by the Office’s General Crimes Unit.  Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kevin Mead, Jackie Delligatti, and Jane Kim are in charge of the prosecution.