Deirdre M. Daly, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that a federal grand jury in New Haven returned an indictment today charging TONEY KELSEY, also known as “Blaze,” 25, of Hartford, with one count of conspiracy to commit sex trafficking of a minor and three counts of sex trafficking of minors.
The indictment charges KELSEY with trafficking a minor victim in May and June 2015, a second minor victim in May 2016, and a third minor victim in November 2016. The indictment also charges KELSEY with conspiring to traffic these individuals and others.
Each charge carries a minimum term of imprisonment of 10 years and a maximum term of life imprisonment.
U.S. Attorney Daly stressed that an indictment is not evidence of guilt. Charges are only allegations, and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
KELSEY has been detained since his arrest by the Wethersfield Police Department on related state charges on November 30, 2016.
The case has been assigned to Chief U.S. District Judge Janet C. Hall in New Haven.
This matter is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Connecticut State Police, Homeland Security Investigations, Wethersfield Police Department and Hartford Police Department, through the Connecticut Human Trafficking Task Force. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarala V. Nagala.