Bentley Bugz, a New York rapper whose legal name is Jimmy Francois, is scheduled to be arraigned in federal court in Brooklyn on a six-count indictment accusing him of sex trafficking a minor and related offenses, according to federal prosecutors.
The indictment, filed in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York, charges Francois with sex trafficking of a minor through force, fraud and coercion, coercion and enticement of a minor, sexual exploitation of a child, and interstate prostitution. Authorities say the charges stem from allegations that Francois trafficked a 16-year-old girl, identified in court filings as Jane Doe, between June and August 2024.
Prosecutors allege Francois transported the teenager across several states, including locations in Queens, New York, and forced her to engage in commercial sex acts with multiple clients each day. Investigators say he maintained control through physical assaults and threats, sometimes attacking other women in the victim’s presence to intimidate her.
According to the indictment, Francois also produced sexually explicit images of the minor and used some of those photographs in online advertisements promoting prostitution.
New York City Rapper Bentley Bugz Indicted on 6-Courts Of Child Sex Trafficking In Brooklyn Court
Law enforcement officials say they recovered a video in which Francois allegedly assaulted the victim and issued degrading statements. Prosecutors say he told the teenager, “You learned and understand that me and you are not equal.” He also instructed her, “You speak when you’re spoken to.”
The recording also allegedly captured threats of violence. Statements such as, “I’mma violate you … you gonna have broken bones … in your hotel room. No hospital, no nothing,” and “I will personally break your bones.”
Authorities arrested Francois on Jan. 29 in Miami. The United States Marshals Service transported him to New York earlier this week. His initial appearance is scheduled before U.S. Magistrate Judge Clay H. Kaminsky.
U.S. Attorney Joseph Nocella Jr. said the case involves alleged exploitation of a minor for profit.
“As alleged, the defendant preyed on a vulnerable child and sold her body for his own profit, while subjecting her to physical violence and threats,” Nocella said.
Francois is presumed innocent unless proven guilty. If convicted, he faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years in prison and could receive life imprisonment.
