By Jeremy Walsh
The married couple's actions with the girls, both under 15, included taking them to a Manhattan strip club where the girls were brought on stage to strip and perform sex acts, the DA said.Julio Rojas, 31, and Sophie Soto, 22, who live on 104th Street, were arraigned Jan. 12 in Queens Criminal Court on a 56-count criminal complaint including use of a child in a sexual performance, conspiracy, rape, a criminal sexual act, promoting an obscene sexual performance by a child, possessing an obscene performance by a child, endangering the welfare of a child and sexual abuse.If convicted, they face a maximum sentence of 15 years in prison. Judge Douglas Wong set Rojas' bail at $750,000 and Soto's bail at $250,000. Their next court date is Jan. 28.Rojas was also arrested in November 2006 on a statutory rape case. He is currently facing six counts of third-degree rape, criminal sexual acts in third degree, and endangering welfare of a child in that case, which is still pending.The alleged exploitation of the two girls began in November 2006, when Soto sent a message to one of the victims via the social networking Web site MySpace, the DA said. Portraying herself as an 18-year-old virgin who had had sexual contact with girls, Soto told the victim she was planning to have sex with a boy, but was afraid and wanted the victim to be with her, the DA said.The victim said she was 16 years old and that she and the second girl would come stay with Soto, authorities said.In the exchange of e-mail, instant messages and phone calls that followed, Soto convinced the first victim to take more than 20 nude pictures of herself and send them to her, the DA said. Soto also told the first victim, who was not getting along with her mother, that she could come live with her, authorities said.In January 2007, the first victim ran away from home and after meeting up with the second victim, met Soto at her apartment, Brown said. There Soto plied the girls with liquor and sexually abused them in the bedroom before Rojas came home and had sex with all three, the DA said.Later that night, Soto and Rojas attempted to take the girls to several nightclubs using fake IDs, but were turned away, the DA said. Instead, they took the girls to the Manhattan strip club where Soto performed and then brought the first victim on stage to perform oral sex on her and several patrons while another female did the same thing with the second victim, the DA said.The DA's office did not know whether the second female was facing any charges and said the incident was still under investigation.Soto and Rojas continued their sexual relationship with the two girls between February and May 2007, Brown said. Soto also convinced the second victim to take nude photos of herself, the DA said.The case came to light when the girls told their parents, Brown said.During questioning, Soto told the detective she seduced the girls on Rojas' behalf, the DA's criminal complaint said.Brown announced the arraignments on the same day MySpace agreed with 49 states to add online measures to combat sexual predators.”This multi-state agreement will go a long way in protecting those who are underage and vulnerable to predators,” he said.Reach reporter Jeremy Walsh by e-mail at jwalsh@timesledger.com or by phone at 718-229-0300, Ext. 154.
