Man Claimed To Be Sex Trafficking Victim For Government Assistance, Deputies Say

A 24-year-old Kentucky man was arrested in upstate New York after being accused of faking claims to being a sex trafficking victim.

The Warren County Sheriff’s Office in Warren County, New York, says Samuel Sebastian, 24, falsely reported himself to local deputies as a victim of sex trafficking in order to receive financial assistance from social services, WRGB-TV first reported. Sebastian told deputies in January he was brought to the area against his will and was seeking Warren County Department of Social Services assistance.

After discovering Sebastian had previous made similar false claims of sex trafficking in California and Maine, deputies arrested Sebastian on Feb. 16. He was charged with felony offering a false instrument for filing as well as misdemeanor criminal impersonation.

Sebastian was arraigned in Queensbury court before being remanded to the Warren County Correctional Facility on $10,000 bail or $20,000 bond.