Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York; Christie M. Curtis, the Acting Assistant Director in Charge of the New York Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”); and Edward A. Caban, the Commissioner of the New York City Police Department (“NYPD”), announced the unsealing of an Indictment charging SHYMELL EPHRON, a/k/a “Shy,” with two counts of coercion and enticement of minors to engage in unlawful sexual activity and five drug-trafficking counts, including two counts of using a minor to distribute narcotics and two counts of distributing narcotics to a minor. EPHRON was arrested today and will be presented in Manhattan federal court before U.S. Magistrate Judge Sarah Netburn. The case is assigned to U.S. District Judge Margaret M. Garnett.
U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “As alleged, Shymell Ephron raped and sexually abused two teenagers he found in Times Square, plied them with drugs and alcohol, and directed them to sell his drugs on the streets of New York City. This Office is committed to keeping New York City safe from sexual predators, and thanks to the hard work of our law enforcement partners and the career prosecutors of this Office, Ephron has now been arrested and charged for his egregious conduct.”
FBI Acting Assistant Director in Charge Christie M. Curtis said: “Shymell Ephron allegedly targeted two minor female victims for repeated sexual abuse, using illicit substances to encourage cooperation. He directed them to participate in his unlawful drug trafficking operation by exploiting their innocence for nefarious purposes, as alleged. Along with our law enforcement partners, the FBI remains committed to apprehending sexual predators and eliminating sources of illegal narcotics in our city.”
NYPD Commissioner Edward A. Caban said: “The charges leveled against this alleged predator are the result of NYPD investigators and our local, state, and federal law enforcement partners working together to protect everyone in our community, especially young victims. I commend the members of the FBI’s Westchester Safe Streets Task Force and the prosecutors at the office of the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York for their continued focus on holding accountable individuals who allegedly target children.”
As alleged in public court filings, statements at public court proceedings, and the Indictment:[1]
EPHRON and his co-conspirators have distributed narcotics, including ecstasy and crack cocaine, since at least in or about May 2024 in Times Square and other locations in New York City. EPHRON has also offered and provided narcotics, including ecstasy and cocaine, to others in an effort to have sex with them. On or about May 17, 2024, EPHRON approached two teenage girls in Times Square while he and a co-conspirator were selling drugs. EPHRON convinced the two girls to follow him to his residence in Harlem, where they stayed with EPHRON for several days.
EPHRON engaged in multiple acts of forcible rape, forcible touching, sexual abuse, and sex with a minor while the girls were staying in EPHRON’s apartment. EPHRON repeatedly provided the girls with ecstasy, marijuana, and alcohol, and EPHRON also directed the girls to sell his drugs on the streets of New York City. EPHRON provided a cellphone to the girls to monitor their whereabouts, direct them to sell narcotics, and to persuade, induce, and entice them to return to his apartment each night so he could engage in unlawful sexual conduct with them. Law enforcement agents with the FBI and NYPD eventually rescued the two girls.
There may be more victims of this alleged conduct. If you have information to report, contact the FBI through its toll-free Tip Line at 1-800-CALL-FBI (225-5324) or https://tips.fbi.gov.
EPHRON, 35, of New York, New York, is charged with two counts of coercion and enticement of a minor, each of which carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in prison and a maximum potential sentence of life in prison; one count of narcotics conspiracy, which carries a maximum potential sentence of 20 years in prison; two counts of distributing narcotics using a minor, each of which carries a mandatory minimum sentence of one year in prison and a maximum potential sentence of 45 years in prison; and two counts of distributing narcotics to a minor, each of which carries a mandatory minimum sentence of one year in prison and a maximum potential sentence of 40 years in prison.
The mandatory minimum and maximum potential sentences in this case are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by a judge.
Mr. Williams praised the work of the FBI’s Westchester Safe Streets Task Force and the NYPD. Mr. Williams also thanked the New York State Police and the Yorktown Police Department for their assistance in the investigation.
This case is being handled by the Office’s Violent and Organized Crime Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ryan W. Allison and Michael R. Herman are in charge of the prosecution.
The charges contained in the Indictment are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.