Erick Acevedo Arrested in Human Trafficking Ring Linked to Huntington Station Motel

Erick Acevedo, 36, of the Bronx was arrested Feb. 4 and charged in connection with an alleged human trafficking operation that Suffolk County investigators link to the Roadway Inn on West Jericho Turnpike in Huntington Station. Authorities say Acevedo was taken into custody in the Bronx at about 10:35 a.m., issued a desk appearance ticket and is to be arraigned at the Suffolk County First District Court in Central Islip at a later date.

The investigation began with surveillance work at the Roadway Inn between March and September 2022, when Second Precinct investigators said they “observed women they believed could be victims of trafficking.” Suffolk County police say the operation “brought victims into Suffolk County over the past three years,” and that investigators believe the ring has ties to the Dominican Republic, Brazil, Florida, New York and possibly other states. Police described the conduct as having “transported women to hotels and collected money from sex workers as part of the operation.”

Acevedo, 36, faces charges of third-degree promoting prostitution and fifth-degree conspiracy. A police release described third-degree promoting prostitution as a felony and fifth-degree conspiracy as a misdemeanor. Beyond the counts listed, prosecutors have not released additional complaint details and the case remains at the pre-arraignment stage.

Law enforcement framed the arrest as the result of a multi-agency probe led by the Suffolk County Police Human Trafficking Investigations Unit with assistance from the Second Precinct Investigative Unit, the Suffolk County Police Warrant Enforcement Section, the New York City Police Department, the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Nassau County District Attorney investigators. Investigators said the probe remains ongoing and detectives continue to pursue leads tied to the network’s interstate and international contacts.

The arrest comes days after Suffolk County adopted Resolution 1111-2025, a local law intended to strengthen oversight of hotels and motels. County Executive Ed Romaine signed the measure at the William H. Rogers Legislative Building in Hauppauge, a move officials promoted as bolstering tools to detect and deter trafficking activity at lodging properties.

For Huntington Station residents and motel operators, the case underscores scrutiny on transient lodging and the need for vigilance. Managers at the Roadway Inn did not immediately respond to requests for comment, and investigators urged anyone with information or potential victims to come forward. Suffolk County Police Human Trafficking Unit detectives can be reached at 631-854-7512, and tips may be left with Crime Stoppers at 1-800-220-TIPS.

What happens next is court and investigative work: an arraignment date, further charges or arrests if additional evidence emerges, and likely continued enforcement around motels cited in the probe. For local residents, the case signals tighter oversight of hospitality businesses and a reminder that law enforcement is actively pursuing complex, cross-jurisdictional trafficking networks.