On January 27 and February 3, 2026, brothers David M. Amin and Bryce K. Amin, identified as members of the Bloods street gang, pleaded guilty in federal court in Central Islip to charges of sex trafficking conspiracy and substantive sex trafficking. The charges relate to their involvement in a family-run sex and narcotics trafficking operation. Previously, in April 2025, Patricia A. Peralta, who is married to David M. Amin, pleaded guilty to money laundering conspiracy for her role in assisting with laundering proceeds from the operation.
The guilty plea proceedings for David M. Amin and Patricia A. Peralta were held before United States District Judge Gary R. Brown, while Bryce K. Amin’s proceeding took place before United States Magistrate Judge Steven L. Tiscione. Both brothers face a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years in prison and up to life imprisonment upon sentencing; Peralta faces up to 20 years in prison. Additionally, David M. Amin and Peralta have agreed to forfeit over $390,000 in cash as well as two luxury vehicles seized at the time of David M. Amin’s arrest.
United States Attorney Joseph Nocella, Jr., Acting Special Agent Michael Alfonso from Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) New York, Suffolk County Police Commissioner Kevin Catalina, and Suffolk County Sheriff Errol D. Toulon, Jr., announced the guilty pleas.
“The Amin brothers took advantage of vulnerable women battling addiction to coerce them into prostitution by making them beholden to illegal narcotics supplied by the defendants,” stated United States Attorney Nocella. “These guilty pleas hold the defendants accountable for profiting from the sexual exploitation of others while subjecting their victims to harm and degradation. It is my hope that these prosecutions will also serve to vindicate the civil rights and dignity of survivors of this evil scourge.”
Mr. Nocella thanked the Nassau County Police Department for its assistance with the case.
“The guilty pleas of David Amin and Bryce Amin send a clear message: HSI will relentlessly pursue those who traffic and exploit vulnerable individuals and expose them to deadly fentanyl,” said HSI New York Acting Special Agent Alfonso. “HSI New York is laser-focused on rooting out sex traffickers and dismantling criminal networks that threaten our families. Working alongside our law enforcement partners, HSI New York special agents will utilize every tool at our disposal to ensure predators like the Amin brothers face the full consequences of their actions.”
Suffolk County Sheriff Toulon added: “The Amin brothers preyed on vulnerable individuals, using drugs and manipulation to exploit them for profit. Their guilty pleas are a significant step toward justice for their victims. The Suffolk County Sheriff’s Office remains committed to working alongside our law enforcement partners to protect our communities from the devastating impact of human trafficking.”
Court records show that between October 2018 and May 2023, David M. Amin and Bryce K. Amin used violence or threats against multiple women addicted to drugs in order to compel them into commercial sex acts for financial gain on Long Island. The brothers recruited drug-addicted women into their operation and maintained control over both them and any proceeds generated by their activities.
David M. Amin was also involved in selling controlled substances such as cocaine and fentanyl on Long Island; he forced some victims into sex acts under coercive conditions involving violence or deprivation of drugs necessary due to addiction withdrawal symptoms.
Bryce K. Amin similarly subjected victims to violence or manipulation related to drug dependency; he was recorded stating: “You can groom a person to do something they’re not used to doing . . . .When I tell her sit, she listens, she does whatever I tell her to do. She’s my little puppet.”
Sex trafficking occurred at various hotels across Long Island—including Bohemia, Islandia, Patchogue, Bayport—and sometimes involved cars or apartments within Suffolk County.
During his arrest, authorities seized more than $390,000 in cash along with two luxury vehicles from a storage unit managed by David M. Amin with Patricia A. Peralta’s help; Peralta had deposited large sums derived from these crimes into personal bank accounts used for purchasing additional assets or funding hotel stays linked with the illicit activity.
This prosecution forms part of a broader initiative under Executive Order 14159 through the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF), which aims at eliminating criminal organizations involved in smuggling or trafficking operations within U.S borders.
The Criminal Section of the Office’s Long Island Division handled this case with Assistant United States Attorneys Megan E. Farrell, Adam Toporovsky, Molly Delaney leading prosecution efforts alongside Paralegal Specialist Samantha Schroder.
The U.S Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York operates as the designated federal prosecutor’s office covering Brooklyn, Queens, Staten Island, Nassau County and Suffolk County—handling prosecutions of federal crimes such as this one—with offices located in Brooklyn and Central Islip (official website). The office also provides support services for crime victims (official website).
