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AOC’s District Begs Kash Patel To Target Gang-Run Queens Brothels

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Community leaders and residents in Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s district are once again urging the FBI to take aggressive action against entrenched brothels and gang activity along Roosevelt Avenue in Queens, as reported [1] by Fox News.

The calls follow years of frustration over prostitution, drug trafficking, and violence that have turned the corridor into what many describe as a red-light district.

At rallies in recent weeks, the Restore Roosevelt Avenue Coalition demanded FBI Director Kash Patel intensify enforcement against gangs they say control the area with intimidation and violence.

Demonstrators gathered outside buildings they identified as known brothels, some marked with protest signs reading “Shut it down,” as they called on federal authorities to intervene.

In a letter to Patel, the coalition wrote, “We are writing to your agency again, requesting an investigation and enforcement action regarding the ever-worsening situation on the Roosevelt Avenue Corridor.”

The group listed eight brothel locations, seven in Ocasio-Cortez’s district and one in the neighboring district of Rep. Grace Meng, and flagged at least five street corners where sex workers operate.

Police data shows the problem has persisted despite crackdowns. The NYPD reported 350 prostitution-related arrests in the corridor this year.

Since October, police have deployed more than 200 officers in a 90-day surge, leading to 2,100 arrests and over 20,000 summonses citywide. Several brothels have been shuttered under nuisance abatement laws, though police acknowledge that legal proceedings are lengthy.

Federal authorities have taken some action. Earlier this year, the FBI, working with the DEA and other agencies, arrested eight suspected members of the 18th Street gang, accused of violent assaults to maintain control of Roosevelt Avenue.

Image Credit: Grossinger - Shutterstock.com [4]
Clint, Texas / USA – 1 July 2019 Clint Border Patrol Station Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez lashes out over deplorable conditions following border facility tours. Women were told to drink out of toilets.

But coalition leaders say the void has quickly been filled by other members of the same gang, as well as groups tied to Tren de Aragua and Chinese organized crime. They are calling for prosecutions under racketeering and trafficking laws to dismantle the networks.

“The rampant prostitution that we see on our streets 24 hours a day, seven days a week, is having an adverse effect on the mental and spiritual health of our children and families,” spokesperson Rosa Sanchez said at a rally.

“It is happening in front of our homes. It must stop.” Sanchez also criticized Democratic officials such as mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani, who has supported decriminalizing sex work, saying legalization would only worsen the problem.

A spokesperson for Ocasio-Cortez said the congresswoman has requested more than $500,000 in federal funding for nonprofits working on violence interruption programs and support for trafficking victims.

Meng told Fox News Digital that she is in regular contact with police and residents and has formally requested federal funds to give the NYPD more tools.

Former state Sen. Hiram Monserrate, who has long organized rallies on Roosevelt Avenue, praised recent police and federal action but said the mission is far from complete.

AOC’s ‘Red Light’ district overrun with prostitutes as locals call her out | Fox News https://t.co/jRf5NuFCNA [5]

— LeoTerrell (@TheLeoTerrell) September 27, 2024 [6]

“State laws do not give our local law enforcement the full range of options that are available to federal law enforcement. Therefore, we are calling upon the FBI to again investigate our complaints of human trafficking and racketeering in our community,” he said.

The FBI declined to directly address the latest letter but cited earlier comments from Assistant Director Christopher Raia, who pledged continued resources to combat violent crime and transnational gangs.