THE OFFICE OF THE CHIEF MEDICAL EXAMINER WILL DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF DEATH. A MASSACHUSETTS MAN ACCUSED OF SEX TRAFFICKING THROUGH SEVERAL STATES… INCLUDING MAINE…HAS BEEN INDICTED. OFFICIALS SAY 36-YEAR-OLD DANIEL RODRIGUEZ FACES SEVEN CHARGES… AFTER HE ALLEGEDLY TRAFFICKED FOUR WOMEN. ONE OF THE ALLEGED VICTIMS WAS A MINOR WHEN SHE WAS FIRST TRAFFICKED. RODRIGUEZ WAS ARRESTED I
Massachusetts man accused of sex trafficking multiple women, including to Maine
Prosecutors say one of the alleged victims was a minor and that the alleged trafficking was happening as recently as January
Updated: 5:19 PM EDT Mar 19, 2026
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A man from Cambridge, Massachusetts, has been indicted on federal charges accusing him of sex trafficking four women and attempting to traffic a fifth victim. Prosecutors say one victim was a minor when she was first trafficked and that some of the activity with victims was in Maine.Prosecutors announced Wednesday that Daniel Rodriguez, 36, was indicted by a federal grand jury on one count of sex trafficking of a minor, four counts of sex trafficking by force, fraud or coercion, one count of attempted sex trafficking by force, fraud or coercion, and one count of knowingly persuading, inducing, enticing, and coercing an individual to travel in interstate commerce to engage in prostitution. Rodriguez is currently held in state custody and will be arraigned in federal court in the coming weeks.According to the indictment, Rodriguez allegedly forced four separate women to engage in commercial sex from 2018 until as recently as January 2026. Rodriguez also allegedly attempted to force a fifth victim to engage in commercial sex on his behalf in 2017. Court documents allege that Rodriguez’s trafficking enterprise involved travel to Florida, South Carolina, Tennessee, New Jersey, Connecticut, and Maine.According to court documents, one victim was a 27-year-old woman who was allegedly forced to engage in commercial sex throughout Massachusetts as well as in Florida, South Carolina, Tennessee, New Jersey, Connecticut and Maine. It is alleged that Rodriguez began trafficking that woman in 2025. When the victim attempted to leave Rodriguez in early January 2026, prosecutors say Rodriguez posed as a sex buyer in an attempt to locate her and then made her return to Boston with him. On Jan. 13, 2026, Rodriguez was allegedly transporting the victim from one hotel to another to engage in commercial sex when police stopped him for an alleged traffic violation. Prosecutors say Rodriguez sped away as officers approached. Prosecutors say he yelled at the victim, blaming her for the traffic stop and led police on a chase at speeds over 100 mph. Police say Rodriguez eventually crashed and then ran off on foot, leaving his victim behind and injured. Rodriguez is alleged to have sent an accomplice to pick the victim up from the hospital and advertised her for commercial sex within hours of her hospital discharge. Rodriguez was ultimately arrested in Middleboro, Mass. on a state arrest warrant issued out of the Quincy District Court on Jan. 14, 2026. Rodriguez is alleged to have used multiple tactics to force his victims to engage in commercial sex on his behalf, including but not limited to physical violence, stalking and fraud. The charges of sex trafficking by force, fraud, or coercion and attempted sex trafficking by force, fraud, or coercion carry minimum mandatory sentences of 15 years in prison, with a maximum sentence of life in prison, at least five years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The charge of sex trafficking of a minor carries a minimum mandatory sentence of 10 years in prison, with a maximum sentence of life in prison, at least five years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The charges of coercing a person to travel for purposes of prostitution provide for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000.
A man from Cambridge, Massachusetts, has been indicted on federal charges accusing him of sex trafficking four women and attempting to traffic a fifth victim. Prosecutors say one victim was a minor when she was first trafficked and that some of the activity with victims was in Maine.
Prosecutors announced Wednesday that Daniel Rodriguez, 36, was indicted by a federal grand jury on one count of sex trafficking of a minor, four counts of sex trafficking by force, fraud or coercion, one count of attempted sex trafficking by force, fraud or coercion, and one count of knowingly persuading, inducing, enticing, and coercing an individual to travel in interstate commerce to engage in prostitution. Rodriguez is currently held in state custody and will be arraigned in federal court in the coming weeks.
According to the indictment, Rodriguez allegedly forced four separate women to engage in commercial sex from 2018 until as recently as January 2026. Rodriguez also allegedly attempted to force a fifth victim to engage in commercial sex on his behalf in 2017.
Court documents allege that Rodriguez’s trafficking enterprise involved travel to Florida, South Carolina, Tennessee, New Jersey, Connecticut, and Maine.
According to court documents, one victim was a 27-year-old woman who was allegedly forced to engage in commercial sex throughout Massachusetts as well as in Florida, South Carolina, Tennessee, New Jersey, Connecticut and Maine.
It is alleged that Rodriguez began trafficking that woman in 2025. When the victim attempted to leave Rodriguez in early January 2026, prosecutors say Rodriguez posed as a sex buyer in an attempt to locate her and then made her return to Boston with him.
On Jan. 13, 2026, Rodriguez was allegedly transporting the victim from one hotel to another to engage in commercial sex when police stopped him for an alleged traffic violation. Prosecutors say Rodriguez sped away as officers approached.
Prosecutors say he yelled at the victim, blaming her for the traffic stop and led police on a chase at speeds over 100 mph. Police say Rodriguez eventually crashed and then ran off on foot, leaving his victim behind and injured.
Rodriguez is alleged to have sent an accomplice to pick the victim up from the hospital and advertised her for commercial sex within hours of her hospital discharge. Rodriguez was ultimately arrested in Middleboro, Mass. on a state arrest warrant issued out of the Quincy District Court on Jan. 14, 2026.
Rodriguez is alleged to have used multiple tactics to force his victims to engage in commercial sex on his behalf, including but not limited to physical violence, stalking and fraud.
The charges of sex trafficking by force, fraud, or coercion and attempted sex trafficking by force, fraud, or coercion carry minimum mandatory sentences of 15 years in prison, with a maximum sentence of life in prison, at least five years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The charge of sex trafficking of a minor carries a minimum mandatory sentence of 10 years in prison, with a maximum sentence of life in prison, at least five years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The charges of coercing a person to travel for purposes of prostitution provide for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000.
