NY Man Pleads Guilty To Sexual Encounter With Minor In Arlington Lot

BOSTON, MA — A Bronx, New York man pleaded guilty in federal court Friday to sexually exploiting a minor both virtually and during an encounter in Arlington, Massachusetts, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office for the State of Massachusetts.

Markell Greene, 27, pleaded guilty to one count of sexual exploitation of a minor and one count of travel with intent to engage in illicit conduct with a minor, according to authorities.

Greene was initially arrested on state warrants in February 2022, and indicted by a federal grand jury in November 2022. Green remains in custody and sentencing is scheduled for Feb. 15, 2024.

The charge of sexual exploitation of children provides for a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years and up to 30 years in prison, and at least five years and up to a lifetime of supervised release, plus a fine of $250,000.

Meanwhile, the charge of travel with intent to engage in illicit conduct also provides for a sentence of up to 30 years in prison, at least five years and up to a lifetime of supervised release, plus a $250,000 fine.

According to court records, in late 2021, Green sent a Snapchat message to the then-12-year-old female, minor victim. Green convinced the victim that he was approximately 16 years old.

Over the next several months, authorities said, Greene convinced the victim to send sexually explicit photos and videos of herself. Greene also directed the victim to brag about her age during the sexually explicit videos, authorities said.

In February 2022, Greene persuaded the victim to meet him in a parking lot in Arlington, authorities said. Court records did not reveal where the victim lived.

On Feb. 14, 2022, according to court documents, Greene arrived at the agreed-upon location and picked up the victim in an SUV. Authorities said Greene then parked the vehicle in an adjacent parking lot, where he raped the victim and forced her to engage in oral sex, which Greene recorded for Snapchat.

"Mr. Greene is a serious danger to our communities," said Joshua Levy, the acting U.S. attorney. "Under the cloak of social media anonymity, he targeted, exploited and violated the innocence of a vulnerable child. His conduct was beyond despicable and I commend the incredible bravery of the victim for coming forward. Today, this predator now stands as a convicted felon who now faces more than a decade in federal prison for his reprehensible conduct."