New York — Alon, Tal and Oren Alexander – three brothers who once lived at the height of wealth and society in New York and Miami – were each sentenced to 30 years in federal prison Tuesday for sex trafficking and other crimes after facing several of their victims during an emotional hearing, which lasted hours. “These men spent years treating woman and girls as though our lives, body, voices, humanity meant nothing,” a victim using the pseudonym Katie Moore said in court. “But we are not disposable and they are not untouchable.” Moore was one of twelve women who delivered statements Tuesday in a federal courtroom in Manhattan packed with victims and their supporters for the sentencing of the three brothers, who were convicted earlier this year of sex trafficking, conspiracy to commit sex trafficking and other charges. The sentencing marks a dramatic fall from grace for the three men: Tal and Oren were top luxury real estate brokers, while Alon, Oren’s twin, was an executive at their family’s security company. During the five-week trial, prosecutors laid out evidence demonstrating the brothers’ years-long pattern of using their wealth and social status to lure women to luxury locations before using drugs or force to rape and sexually assault them – many of whom were unconscious or several incapacitated. Eleven women testified at trial about being sexually assaulted by one or more of the men, though prosecutors said more than 70 women had reported their accounts to investigators. Federal district judge Valerie Caproni likened the three brothers to Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. In letters to the court, the men’s supporters described them as gentlemen, while the women who testified credibly at trial described “sadistic, misogynistic sexual predators,” she said. “Either all of those women are in the wrong line of work because they should all be actresses, or they were telling the truth and they were raped and drugged. And I credit latter,” the judge said before handing down the sentences. The brothers, wearing beige prison outfits, each addressed the court Tuesday and acknowledged being ashamed of their behaviour but vehemently maintained they never drugged or raped anyone. “I want to set the record straight – my brothers and I have never drugged and raped anyone. Have never trafficked anyone for sex. Have never conspired to harm anyone,” Oren Alexander said Tuesday, as several victims shook their heads. All three men were also convicted of inducement to travel for unlawful sexual activity. Alon and Tal Alexander were also convicted of sex trafficking a minor. The twins were convicted of additional sex abuse counts, and the jury also found Oren Alexander guilty of sexual exploitation of a minor.
