Nine individuals have been charged in connection with a child sex trafficking case involving a teenage girl who was discovered last month on a boat at a New York marina, after being missing for nearly a month.

The group, consisting of seven men and two women, all pleaded not guilty during their arraignments in court in Riverhead, Suffolk County, on Thursday, as stated by a court spokesperson.

They are facing multiple charges including child sex trafficking, kidnapping, rape, and endangering the welfare of a child, according to online court documents.
Prosecutors informed the judge that the accused exploited the 14-year-old girl, subjecting her to multiple instances of rape and advertising her for sexual services, as reported by local news.
The minor, whose identity is being withheld due to her age, went missing for approximately 25 days.
She was seen on surveillance footage exiting her home in Long Island, a suburban area located east of New York City, and entering a vehicle on December 9. Her father ultimately located her on a yacht at a marina in Islip on January 3.
The father revealed to local media that he received an anonymous tip about his daughter’s whereabouts after he publicized her disappearance on social media, offering a reward of up to $15,000.
Requests for comments from the Suffolk County District Attorney’s office, which is handling the prosecution, have gone unanswered this week.
One of the defendants, Daniel Burke, a resident of Long Island, was identified by prosecutors as one of the men who engaged in sexual acts with the teen. He is facing charges of kidnapping, rape, and other offenses.
Oscar Crisafio, Burke’s attorney, expressed in an emailed statement, “Fortunately our justice system is based on facts and evidence. And the evidence in this case, in the words of the actual complainant, suggests that she was never held against her will.”
Another defendant, Ralph Knowles, also from Long Island, has been charged with rape among other allegations, according to court records.
Chase Brown, Knowles’ lawyer, expressed in an email that “Ralph looks forward to receiving discovery in a timely manner and his day in court where the truth will prevail.”
Other individuals involved in the case have similarly refuted the accusations against them, as reported by local media.
Out of the defendants, three were sent to the county jail on Thursday, while the judge increased bail for the remaining six who were already out on bail, as detailed in the newspaper.
In addition, three more defendants have been charged in relation to this case but were not included in the initial indictment.
Among these additional suspects is an employee at a state mental health facility, accused of groping the teenage girl during her inpatient treatment following her traumatic experience.
He faces charges of criminal sexual contact with a person unable to provide consent as well as endangering the welfare of a child.