‘Exploiting victims in the worst way’: Stoughton man charged in new sex trafficking case
BOSTON — A Stoughton man previously convicted of multiple sex trafficking charges is facing new charges in federal court, the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Boston announced on Wednesday.
Marvin Pompilus, 39, was arrested on Tuesday and charged with one count of sex trafficking by force, fraud or coercion. During an initial court appearance in U.S. District Court in Boston, a judge ordered Pompilus be detained pending a Nov. 28 hearing.
“Marvin Pompilus is accused of exploiting his victims in the worst way. By coercing them with drugs, forcing them to engage in commercial sex, and subjecting them to violence if they refused, he took away the freedom and dignity to which these women are entitled,” said Jodi Cohen, special agent in charge of the FBI's Boston division.
Here’s what to know about the alleged crimes behind these charges, as well as Pompilus’ criminal history.
An immediate return to targeting vulnerable women
Pompilus was convicted in Suffolk Superior Court in February 2018 of multiple counts of trafficking a person for sexual servitude and deriving support for prostitution. He received a six-year state prison sentence and was released in October 2021.
Federal prosecutors say that "almost immediately" after his early release from state prison, Pompilus allegedly posed as a client while engaging in a victim’s online advertisements for commercial sex, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office. When Pompilus met the victim in person, he allegedly recruited her to continue to engage in commercial sex, but only on his behalf.
“Upon his release after a six-year prison sentence on sex trafficking charges, it is alleged that Mr. Pompilus almost immediately returned to targeting and exploiting vulnerable victims to line his own pocket – regularly using violence and drugs to maintain control,” Acting U.S. Attorney Joshua S. Levy said.
‘Exploiting his victims in the worst way’
According to the U.S. Attorney's Office, Pompilus used physical violence, threats of violence and drug-coercion to force his victim to continue to engage in commercial sex work on his behalf. This allegedly included regular beatings, manual strangulation and, on one occasion, he pointed a gun in the victim’s face, prosecutors said.
Pompilus controlled the victim with a set of rules and punished the victim for disobedience with physical violence and by withholding drugs from the victim to the point of physical withdrawal symptoms, the U.S. Attorney's Office said in the statement.
Pompilus collected all the profits from the victim’s commercial sex work and, despite the frequency and severity of the physical violence, the victim was not allowed access to medical treatment, the statement says.
More than one victim
Federal prosecutors also allege that Pompilus victimized at least four other vulnerable women from 2021 to 2022 by coercing them to engage in commercial sex work on his behalf. He would deliver drugs and pick up money from these women, allegedly using force, physical violence, threats of violence and drug-coercion to control these victims, the U.S. Attorney's Office said.
A repeat offender
In 2010, Pompilus was charged with attempted murder and assault and battery with a dangerous weapon after allegedly strangling a woman and throwing bleach on her.
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He was also charged with assault and battery on a police officer after struggling with arresting officers before being bit on the ear by a police dog.
At the time of the 2010 attack, Pompilus resided in Randolph.
According to reporting by Enterprise news partner WCVB, Pompilus, still residing in Randolph, was again arrested and charged in 2015 with multiple counts of trafficking of persons for sexual servitude and multiple counts of deriving support from prostitution after targeting six women who he sold for sexual services.
In February of 2018, he was formally convicted of these charges in Suffolk Superior Court and was sentenced to 6 years in state prison. He was released in October of 2021 after serving only four years.
Punishment for the crime
The federal charge of sex trafficking by force, fraud or coercion provides for a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years and up to life in prison, at least five years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000, the news release said.
He will appear in court for a hearing on Nov. 28.
Enterprise staff writer Amelia Stern can be reached by email at astern@enterprisenews.com.