Local Leaders in AOC’s Red Light District Urge FBI to Tackle Brothel Crisis

Local Leaders in AOC’s Red Light District Urge FBI to Tackle Brothel Crisis

Local leaders in New York City Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s district have once again called on FBI Director Kash Patel to take decisive action against the persistent problem of foreign gangs operating brothels and dealing drugs in the Roosevelt Avenue corridor of Queens. The activists say the situation, which has been ongoing for years, requires a broader federal crackdown under racketeering and trafficking laws to dismantle the organized networks and ensure safety for residents.

The Roosevelt Avenue corridor, often referred to as a red-light district despite repeated crackdowns by the NYPD, has been plagued by crime, prostitution, and violence. While police have arrested 350 people this year for prostitution-related offenses, local leaders argue that the problem remains deeply rooted and that only federal intervention can address the entrenched criminal networks.

The coalition, which advocates for improving the quality of life and ensuring safer streets in the predominantly immigrant neighborhood, has identified eight locations as known brothels, with seven in Ocasio-Cortez’s district. Despite past efforts by the FBI, including the arrest of eight suspected members of the 18th Street gang in April, the activists say the situation continues to worsen, with other gang enforcers filling the void and allegations of human trafficking and fake green card distribution.

Local leaders have also taken aim at Democratic officials like Zohran Mamdani, who supports decriminalizing sex work, arguing that legalizing prostitution would only exacerbate the community’s problems. While Ocasio-Cortez’s office has sought federal funding for violence interruption programs and support for victims of sex trafficking, the FBI has not directly addressed the call for further action.

Recent efforts, including a 90-day NYPD crackdown in October, have led to over 2,100 arrests and 20,560 summonses, though police say the process of shutting down brothels through nuisance abatement law is slow. Former Democrat state Sen. Hiram Monserrate, a long-time advocate against the brothels, praised the NYPD’s progress but called for expanded federal action to fully dismantle the networks.