A Virginia lawyer is facing sex trafficking charges after he allegedly coerced several high school girls into sex by offering to be their sugar daddy.
The Washington Post reports that 45-year-old Matthew Erausquin is accused of paying six girls, between 16 and 17 years of age, to have sex with him in exchange for money. Erausquin is the founding partner of the law firm, Consumer Litigation Associations.
According to an arrest affidavit, Fairfax authorities began investigating in 2019 after a high school student told them that Erausquin had paid $1,000 for two teen girls to engage in a threesome with him. Other girls from various high schools also engaged in sexual activities with the suspect, according to police.
The Daily Beast reports that one of the victims told police that Erausquin first offered her $200 to record herself sucking on something. He then reportedly paid for an Uber for her and another girl and had them meet him for lunch. He then reportedly suggested the threesome and took them to his apartment.
Both victims reportedly said they went to his apartment at least six times for sex.
Erausquin reportedly met the victims through a dating app and although the victims claimed they were at least 18, investigators said Erausquin likely knew they were underage. When he learned some of the victims had turned 18 after he engaged in sex with them, he didn’t seem surprised, the affidavit states.
Erausquin gave two of his victims a Tiffany bag. One of them also contracted a sexually transmitted disease that he asked her to keep quiet about, the affidavit stated. The teen eventually had a mental breakdown and was taken in for medical help.
“Victim I recalled that during one of those times she was at his apartment, Erausquin had multiple boxes at his residence containing purses from Tiffany’s. He instructed both Victim I and Victim GB to pick out a box. Both girls received a Tiffany’s purse.”
The girls later learned that the suspect had sex with “three underaged girls during the same visit,” which included one of their friends.
The victims confronted Erausquin but he allegedly threatened to sue them if they went to the police.
“I wasn’t aware that you and [Victim GB] were meeting with someone else and it honestly feels like a breach of trust and the fact that there is a possibility of me having the disease justifies my displeasure with the situation,” one of the victims texted to the suspect, according to the affidavit.
“With this, I think it would be wise to end our arrangement here. I appreciate your generosity and the time we’ve spent together.”
The suspect allegedly said it “would be stupid for them to try to extort him because having sex with a minor is not that big of a deal compared to extortion.”
The suspect reportedly added that the girls were not worth him risking his career over.
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