NEW YORK CITY — Police busted a Harlem pimp on Thursday after the mother of a 17-year-old runaway he forced into prostitution, called the cops on him, authorities said.
Taye Elleby, 35, was arrested trying to flee from the East Harlem housing project where he was running a brothel, police said. He was charged with sex trafficking and promoting prostitution.
The unidentified Norwich, Connecticut teen, who cops say was forced through intimidation to turn tricks, mustered the courage on May 9 to reach out to her estranged mom and tell her about the dangerous predicament she was in, cops said.
The girl's mother found out where she was and called New York City police who busted him walking out of the Taft Houses about 11:30 p.m.
Elleby had forced two other women, ages 21 and 24, into prostitution as well, police said. They said the women are in good health.
"They could come and go as they please, but they were being threatened," said a police source.
Four women in all paid Elleby half and sometimes all the money that they earned from prostitution and he would beat and threaten the women for not bringing into enough, Manhattan prosecutors say.
Elleby, who has a lengthy rap sheet for assault, drunk driving, drug and gun possession and criminal mischief, was held on $30,000 bond on Saturday.
His lawyer could not immediately be reached for comment.
