A man from Boston has entered a guilty plea on charges of sex trafficking and narcotics, after revelations surfaced about his actions involving a drug and sex trafficking hub out of a tent on the intersection of Massachusetts Avenue and Melnea Cass Boulevard, more commonly known as Mass and Cass, according to a press release from the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Massachusetts.
Jonathan Vaughan, 37, also known by the alias "Ason," confessed to the federal charges, which included three counts of sex trafficking by means of force, fraud, and coercion and two counts of prostitution transportation, and on top of those, he was slapped with one count of cocaine possession with the intention to distribute it. U.S. District Court Judge Richard G. Stearns has slated the sentencing for December 19, 2024. Vaughan faces up to life in prison along with a litany of fines, and the specifics of the plea deal could land him in prison for 180 months, that is, if the court agrees to the proposed terms when sentencing takes place.
Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy stated, "Jonathan Vaughan preyed on his victims solely because of their vulnerabilities. He used their circumstances against them and for his own personal gain," as reported by the U.S. Attorney's Office. Homeland Security Investigations Special Agent in Charge Michael J. Krol highlighted the collaboration with Boston Police and other agencies in dismantling Vaughan's operation and prosecuting the case. Authorities had been tracking Vaughan from at least June 2019 until his capture in October 2021.
The prosecution's records detail Vaughan's manipulative tactics, including physical and sexual abuse to control his victims, many of whom struggled with substance abuse. He trafficked them through Boston and beyond to New York, operating from a tent in Mass and Cass, while using Facebook to target his victims with cold precision. Vaughan demanded the money his victims earned and forced them into prostitution in hotels across several states, both indoors and on the streets, against their will.
His self-proclaimed moniker "Ason the Pimp" and his chest tattoo that boldly declares "Pimp or Die," along with music glorifying his activities as a pimp, showcase the brazenness with which Vaughan conducted his criminal enterprise. Anyone who believes they may be a victim of Vaughan’s crimes is encouraged to reach out to the contact [email protected] as provided by the U.S. Attorney's Office. With such cases on the rise the collaboration among law enforcement agencies remains a pivotal piece in combating sex trafficking, the severity of these crimes reflected in the stringent punishments associated with them.
