Two men have been sentenced to prison in Australia for their roles in trafficking a 17-year-old girl from Indonesia to perform sex work. Surya Subekti, 45, lured the juvenile from impoverished areas of Indonesia to Australia in January 2024, intending for her to work as an escort.
Over approximately two months, the teenager was subjected to forced labor, servicing between five and 10 clients nightly at brothels located in Sydney and Gosford. Elton Valentino, 32, was responsible for driving the victim to the brothels each night. The victim described the work as a "shock to my body," detailing severe stomach pains, blood loss, and difficulty walking, later diagnosed as a sexually transmitted infection.
In a statement read at Sydney's Downing Centre District Court, the victim expressed the trauma of her experience, stating, "Before coming to Australia, I was like any other kid - I was happy and never experienced trauma before." She added, "It is now difficult to trust other people ... I can no longer feel happy."
Judge Nicole Noman acknowledged the profound harm caused by these offenses. Subekti, who used the alias "Batman" to arrange visas for women for sex work in Australia, was found to have knowingly trafficked the underage girl. He arranged her flight, visa, and managed her finances, providing cash advances, food, and hygiene products instead of a salary. The court rejected arguments that the girl had previously engaged in sex work and voluntarily came to Australia, with the judge ruling that as a minor, she could not have given informed consent.
Valentino claimed he believed the victim was 24 years old, but the judge found him reckless regarding the substantial risk that she was underage. He was paid a salary to transport women to brothels.
Subekti was sentenced to over six years in prison, with eligibility for release in November 2030 after serving his minimum term of four years and five months, accounting for time served. His motivation for trafficking was attributed to financial pressures from a gambling problem. Valentino received a maximum sentence of two years and eight months, with his 22-month minimum term ending on August 28, after which he will be released and placed on a five-year good behavior bond. He expressed some remorse, stating that individuals under 18 engaging in sex work is "just not right."
Both men will be placed on the NSW child protection register following their release. The investigation, a joint effort between the Australian Federal Police and the Indonesian National Police, also led to charges against a woman in Jakarta. Indonesian police prevented six other women from traveling to Australia as part of the syndicate. Another woman, who allegedly enrolled victims in a Sydney college to extend their stay, was arrested by federal police and is being held in a detention center.
The forced labor of the victim concluded in March 2024 when federal police raided a Sydney home, where she was found with ten other women.