Texas Man Allegedly Tattooed Nickname on Teen’s Face During Cross-Country Sex Trafficking​

NEW YORK, NY - A Texas man has been indicted on charges including sex trafficking of a child, sex trafficking, assault, and promoting prostitution in New York City, according to Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez.

Donald Roberson, 29, of Dallas, allegedly trafficked a 17-year-old girl and an 18-year-old woman from Texas to New York, forcing them into prostitution and keeping the proceeds.

Roberson faces a 17-count indictment, which includes charges of sex trafficking of a child, second to fourth-degree promoting prostitution, second and third-degree assault, and third-degree sexual abuse. He was arraigned in Brooklyn Supreme Court and ordered held without bail. His next court appearance is scheduled for October 23, 2024.

The District Attorney said that, according to the investigation, the 17-year-old victim met the defendant, who she knew from Instagram, in Dallas, Texas on August 10, 2024. She and the 18-year-old victim agreed to leave with the defendant, who then drove to New York, stopping several times along the way.

On August 16, 2024, they arrived in New York and went to the Hotel Sunborn in East New York where the defendant rented a room. The two victims were then allegedly forced to walk the track in East New York and engage in prostitution, with all of the proceeds going to the defendant.

On August 20, 2024, the defendant allegedly took the 17-year-old victim to a tattoo parlor in East New York and had his nickname, “Blue Cheese,” tattooed on her face. The 18-year-old also had “Blue Cheese” tattooed on her face. It is alleged that later that day, in McCarren Park, the defendant argued with the 17-year-old victim, punched her in the face, pulled her hair and kicked her in the face causing her to suffer a seizure. He also allegedly stabbed her about the side of her body with a pair of scissors.

Furthermore, it is alleged, on August 22, 2024, the victim was treated for a viral throat infection at Kings County Hospital caused by allegedly being forced to perform sex acts. After leaving the hospital, the defendant allegedly looked for the 18-year-old in East New York and when he found her he allegedly choked her and punched her about the face until she was crying and unable to breathe.

On August 23, it is alleged, the 17-year-old and the defendant allegedly had an argument at the hotel and she went to his vehicle and locked herself inside of it. The defendant allegedly shattered a car window, raining glass down onto the victim who was left with cuts. He then allegedly took a torch lighter to her leg and burned her.

The victim then managed to text someone back in Texas for help, giving him the name and address of the hotel and the room number. Officers from the 75th Precinct responded, found her in the parking lot and arrested the defendant.

The case was investigated by New York City Police Department Detective Denis Regimbal and Detective Mark Shackel of the joint NYPD/FBI Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force.

The case is being prosecuted by Senior Assistant District Attorney Alexandra Iorio, of the District Attorney’s Human Trafficking Unit.