A Mount Vernon man has been convicted on charges of sex trafficking involving a minor. Rai Thomas, aged 31, faced a trial that ended last Monday, with a guilty verdict for sex trafficking of a minor, and using interstate facilities to promote sex trafficking and prostitution, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office, Southern District of New York.
During the trial overseen by U.S. District Judge Nelson S. Román, the court heard how between January and February 2022, Thomas exploited a vulnerable minor who was living in a children's group home at the time, utilizing multiple hotels across the Bronx and Brooklyn for commercial sexual activity, the evidence in the case, outlined in an official statement from the U.S. Attorney's Office, detailed the degree to which Thomas managed this criminal operation, from enticing the minor to coordinating transportation and reserving hotel rooms, to advertising online and receiving profits from the illicit activities.
In strong terms, Clayton condemned the nature of the crime, stating, "Crimes relating to sexual abuse of minors are among the most heinous crimes in our society," and emphasizing that Thomas's actions were "particularly egregious because he targeted a teen in crisis and preyed on her when she was at her most vulnerable." The conviction carries a heavy weight; Thomas is facing a mandatory minimum of 10 years in prison, with the possibility of life, plus up to five additional years for his use of interstate facilities in his criminal scheme, as per the U.S. Attorney's Office.
The FBI's Assistant Director Raia also underscored the severity of Thomas's actions saying “Rai Thomas organized an elaborate sex trafficking scheme across the city to repeatedly exploit a minor victim simply to enrich himself," and Raia further remarked on Thomas's disregard for the well-being of the minor enticed into commercial sex work to to fill his own coffers, the task force led by FBI Hudson Valley together with local police departments, were central to the investigation that brought Thomas to justice. Thomas's sentencing is set for February 13, 2026, the U.S. Attorney's Office reported.
Praiseworthy efforts by the FBI's Hudson Valley Safe Streets Task Force, the Town of Poughkeepsie Police Department, the Dutchess County Sheriff's Office, the City of Poughkeepsie Police Department, and the New York City Police Department were highlighted by Clayton, whose team, including Assistant U.S. Attorneys Qais Ghafary, Kaiya Arroyo, and Jorja Knauer, prosecuted the case with the aid of Paralegal Specialists Gabriela Salerno, Samantha Olsen, and Shannon Becker.
