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16 The Courier sun • juLY 14, 2016 for breaking news visit www.qns.com Two arrested for forcing teen to have sex for money in Briarwood hotel By Anthony Giudice agiudice@qns.com @A_GiudiceReport Two people who held a teenager against her will, sexually assaulted her and forced her to have sex for money in a Briarwood hotel over the Fourth of July weekend have been arrested, Queens District Attorney Richard A. Brown announced. According to Brown, Shaquan Walters, 22, of 158th Street in Jamaica, and Kiana Pryce, 21, of West End Avenue in Manhattan have been charged with sex trafficking, promoting prostitution and several other charges for allegedly forcing the 17-year-old victim into prostitution. “The teenager was allegedly raped by Walters and then forced to have sex with a stranger. She only managed to escape after finding her cellphone and calling her boyfriend, who came to her rescue,” Brown said in a statement. “The defendants face a lengthy prison term for sex trafficking — a vile and very violent, degrading crime that will not be tolerated.” According to the criminal complaint, the 17-year-old victim met Walters on the street and he took her to the Jets Motor Inn, located at 139-06 Queens Blvd., where Pryce was allegedly waiting. It is further alleged that the teen’s cellphone was taken from her and she was locked in the room by Walters, who told her she couldn’t leave until she had made them $3,000 by having sex for money. When she insisted that they let her go, Walters allegedly told her, “You’re going to have a big problem. I’m going to find you in these streets.” The complaint continued, alleging the victim was ordered to take a shower and when she agreed Walters allegedly entered the bathroom and raped her. Soon afterwards, an unknown male entered the hotel room and Walters allegedly told the teen, “You know what to do,” and she had sexual intercourse with the stranger. Afterwards, Pryce is alleged to have accepted $164 from the man and split the cash with Walters. According to the charges, the victim managed to locate her cellphone Two people were arrested and charged with forcing a 17-year-old girl to have sex with strangers for money at the Jets Motor Inn. and called her boyfriend, telling him what had happened and where she was. Her boyfriend came to the motel and was allegedly punched and kicked by Walters, but the boyfriend and 17-year-old managed to escape and call 911. Pryce was arraigned on Monday, July 4, before Queens Criminal Court Judge Althea Drysdale, who set bail at $50,000 and ordered a bail sufficiency hearing. Pryce’s next court date is July 17. Walters was arraigned on Tuesday, July 5, before Queens Criminal Court Judge Karen Photo via Google Maps Gopee, who set bail at $500,000 and also ordered a bail sufficiency hearing. His next court date is July 8. The defendants have been charged in two separate criminal complaints with sex trafficking, second- and third-degree promoting prostitution and second-degree unlawful imprisonment. Walters is additionally charged with firstdegree rape, third-degree assault, disorderly conduct and seconddegree harassment. Both defendants face up to 25 years in prison if convicted. Ticketing app for LIRR and Metro-North trains will be available by the end of summer By Stanley Law editorial@qns.com/@QNS A new app, which should make life for Queens commuters much more convenient, will be coming sooner than expected. The MTA eTix app, a free app that will allow Long Island Rail Road (LIRR) and Metro-North Railroad tickets to be purchased on customers’ mobile devices, was announced Tuesday by Governor Andrew Cuomo. Customers on the LIRR Port Washington Branch can purchase tickets through the app now, and the entire LIRR system is expected to be made available by the end of the summer, as opposed to its original end-of-theyear release schedule. “Our administration remains committed to building a transit network that is responsive to the needs of travelers who rely on mass transportation,” Cuomo said. “We will continue to create a 21stcentury transit system that embraces innovation to ensure that we are building a stronger, more competitive New York.” When Cuomo asked the MTA to finish the app as quickly as possible, MTA Chairman and CEO Thomas Prendergast said the authority responded “with an aggressive rollout schedule that will make MTA eTix available to all LIRR and Metro-North riders before the end of August.” The new app has a lot of convenient features for LIRR and Metro- North customers such as the ability to purchase tickets without waiting in line. It will also be easier to secure refunds for any unused mobile tickets. Customers can also use the app to get an update on train service. After its debut on the LIRR Port Washington Branch and Metro- North’s Hudson Line, the MTA will expand the availability of the app to all LIRR and Metro-North lines by Aug. 22. In order to alleviate any doubt on the app’s functionality, a field test was conducted during which 150 customers who ride the LIRR Port Washington Branch or Metro- North’s Hudson Line tried it out. Surveys after the test indicated satisfaction with the app, with 92 percent of the participants stating that they were somewhat or very satisfied with the app and 94 percent indicating that they will be somewhat or very likely to use the app again. By next year, the MTA is going to connect the eTix app to the entire MTA public transportation system, including subways and buses. Masabi Ltd., the creators of the MTA eTix app, has also created other electronic ticketing programs for other public transportation organizations such as the MBTA Commuter Rail in Boston and the NICE Bus on Long Island.


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