Maryland Man Pleads Guilty to Persuading and Inducing Individuals, Including Two Minors, to Travel to Engage in Prostitution

BOSTON - A Maryland man pleaded guilty on July 23, 2026 in federal court in Springfield, Mass. to inducing three individuals, including two minors, to travel across state lines to engage in prostitution.

David Kaufman, 45, pleaded guilty to a superseding information charging three counts of knowingly persuading, inducing, enticing and coercing an individual to travel in interstate commerce to engage in prostitution and aiding and abetting, as well as one count of conspiring to do the same. U.S. District Court Judge Mark G. Mastroianni scheduled sentencing for Nov. 13, 2026. Kaufman was arrested in April 2025. In May 2025, a federal grand jury charged Kaufman in a superseding indictment that included additional charges against Kaufman as well as a co-conspirator.

In January and February of 2024, Kaufman and a co-conspirator made arrangements for a victim to travel to Baltimore to stay with Kaufman, who paid for the travel. Once at Kaufman's residence in Baltimore, Kaufman persuaded and enticed the victim to allow Kaufman to perform sex acts on the victim in exchange for money and things of value. In March, the victim and co-conspirator again traveled from Massachusetts to Maryland, where Kaufman once again persuaded and enticed the victim to allow Kaufman to perform sex acts on the victim in exchange for money and things of value.

In June 2024, a minor victim and a co-conspirator traveled from Massachusetts to Maryland to stay with Kaufman. Kaufman again paid for the travel. Once there, Kaufman persuaded and enticed the minor victim to allow him to perform sex acts on the minor victim and paid the victim money to do so. Kaufman continued to communicate with the minor victim and encouraged the victim to return to Maryland to engage in additional sex acts for money. In late June, the minor victim and the co-conspirator again traveled from Massachusetts to Baltimore, and Kaufman paid for the tickets in anticipation of the victim engaging in additional sex acts with him for money. Once back in Baltimore, Kaufman and the minor victim engaged in sex acts in exchange for money in Kaufman's bedroom. At that time, the victim was 16 years old but, at the co-conspirator's urging, told Kaufman that he was 18 years old.

In July 2024, Kaufman traveled to Boston, Mass.. Kaufman and his co-conspirator arranged to meet in Boston and the co-conspirator introduced Kaufman to another minor victim, convincing the minor to travel from Connecticut to Massachusetts to meet Kaufman for prostitution. Once Kaufman, his co-conspirator and the minor victim were in Boston, Kaufman engaged in sex acts with the victim in exchange for money. At that time, the minor was 17 years old but, at the co-conspirator's urging, told Kaufman that he was 18 years old.

If you have information or questions about this investigation, or someone you know may be impacted or experiencing commercial sex trafficking or child exploitation, please contact [email protected].

The charge of knowingly persuading and inducing a person to travel for purposes of prostitution provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The charge of conspiracy to knowingly persuade and induce a person to travel for purposes of prostitution provides for a sentence of up to five years in prison, up to three years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.

United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Ted E. Docks, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the U.S. Attorney's Office in the District of Maryland; the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Baltimore Field Office; and the Baltimore Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Torey B. Cummings, Craig E. Estes and Kunal Pasricha of the Criminal Division are prosecuting the case.

The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The remaining defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.