BOSTON, April 7, 2017—Two men were held on high bail at their arraignments this week after their arrests during the course of a human trafficking investigation, Suffolk County District Attorney Daniel F. Conley said.

JOSE MARTINEZ (D.O.B. 4/9/91) of Dorchester was arraigned yesterday in Dorchester Municipal Court on charges of human trafficking, kidnapping, and threats.  Assistant District Attorney Brian LeBlanc requested that Martinez be held on bail of $75,000 and be ordered to wear a GPS monitor, abide by a curfew, and stay away and have not contact with the victim in the event he is to be released on bail.  Judge Thomas Kaplanes set bail in the amount of $25,000 and granted the requested conditions of release.  Martinez’ bail was revoked in an open case out of Newton District Court charging him with receiving a stolen motor vehicle, and he was held without bail pending a hearing regarding his open probation for three separate convictions in Boston Municipal Court for distribution of a Class B substance.

RASHID PARHAM (D.O.B. 8/28/98) of Roslindale was arraigned in the same court on charges of unlawful possession of a firearm, unlawful possession of ammunition, and carrying a loaded firearm; he was additionally charged as a Level I armed career criminal.  According to prosecutors, Parham was indicted as a youthful offender and convicted in 2015 in the Juvenile Division of West Roxbury Municipal Court of armed assault with intent to murder and aggravated assault and battery, for which he is currently serving a suspended sentence.    Although he was a juvenile at the time of this earlier offense, his indictment as a youthful offender opened the case to the public and exposed Parham to the full range of juvenile and adult consequences.

At the request of prosecutors, Kaplanes set Parham bail at $25,000 and ordered that he submit to GPS monitoring, abide by a curfew, and stay away from Martinez.  He was also held without bail pending a probation hearing in West Roxbury Municipal Court.

During the course of an investigation into suspected human trafficking at 204 Norfolk St. in Mattapan, Boston Police detectives assigned to the Human Trafficking Unit interviewed a woman observed leaving the address.  Detectives learned that Martinez had arranged encounters during which the woman performed sexual acts in return for money – all of which was kept by Martinez.  He allegedly physically abused the victim and told her she couldn’t go home unless she made money, prosecutors said.

Officers surveilling the Norfolk Street address on Wednesday night observed Martinez and a second man, later identified as Parham, exit the building and enter the backseat of a vehicle that had just arrived at the location.  Police stop the car at the intersection of Morton Street and Blue Hill Avenue. 

Based on information they had received that the men may have been in possession of a firearm, officers removed Martinez and Parham from the vehicle for officer safety.  Martinez allegedly attempted to flee from officers and was placed in handcuffs.

A Smith & Wesson .40 caliber semi-automatic firearm was located under the front passenger seat, directly in front of where Parham had been seated moments earlier.  The firearm, which was found to be loaded, was situated with the muzzle pointing toward the front of the vehicle.

The operator of the vehicle was identified as a ride-share driver who told police she did not have a firearm in the car.

Martinez was represented for bail purposes only by Regina Hughes. Parham was represented by Jack Miller.  Both return to court May 8.

–30–

All defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.