New York- Some say she’s a hooker with a heart of gold. But prosecutors say Julie Moya was a manipulative madam who stripped teens of their virginity.
Authorities are “investigating possible links to kidnapping and human smuggling in which children were brought to Julie for the specific purpose of taking their virginity,” Manhattan Assistant District Attorney Matthew Bassiur said yesterday. Once the girls were more experienced, they would work “at other prostitution rings,” Bassiur said.
A source familiar with the case said the girls were of Russian descent.
The kidnapping allegation came at a hearing before Supreme Court Justice Michael Ambrecht as Moya’s attorney Dan Ollen asked the judge to lower her $500,000 bail, saying she’s not dangerous and has nowhere to hide.
“Her face was on the front page of the Daily News,” Ollen said.
Bassiur argued that, if anything, bail should be raised to $2 million. He said Moya had “fully confess[ed]” to a D felony in The News.
“I know prostitution is not a legal thing, but we’re the friendliest, the nicest, the best that there is in New York City as far as that goes,” Moya told The News last month.
Moya, described by a close friend as “a hooker with a heart of gold,” is charged with running a $30 million prostitution ring for 10 years. Bassiur accused Moya of giving a 15-year-old fake identification, telling her to say she was 19.
“She told the 15-year-old she could not be shy,” he added, describing various sex acts Moya allegedly told the girl she must perform.
Bassiur also said Moya gave drugs, including cocaine, to customers who asked for them.
An indictment unsealed yesterday charges Moya with promoting prostitution, as well as 25 counts of third-degree rape and 28 counts of criminal sexual acts for facilitating sex between adults and minors. Bassiur said Moya was known to keep $50,000 to $100,000 cash in her home, suggesting she might flee.
The judge said he found the rape charges “very disturbing” and refused to lower the bail. Moya, who was not in court, is due to be arraigned March 8.