NYC man busted for sex with girl, paying with pills that killed young teen’s pal: prosecutors
A Bronx man was busted for having sex with a 16-year-old girl and paying her with fentanyl-laced pills that killed her friend, prosecutors announced Friday.
Virgil Wardlow was arrested Thursday night for the March 25 encounter with the underage girl that Wardlow paid for with $40 in cash and two fentanyl pills — one of which killed the teen’s 19-year-old pal the same day, according to a Manhattan federal complaint.
Wardlow, 31, met the teenager at a Bronx hotel after brokering the meeting in text messages, writing ‘What’s up with the trades?” and offering her pills for “some of ya time,” according to images of the messages included in the complaint.
The teen first declined, prompting Wardlow to barter, offering “Half cash” — which she accepted, according to the texts.
Wardlow had sex with her and left the hotel room, according to the papers.
The girl and her friend then took the pills and afterward “felt ill and overheated,” the filing claims.
They both got into a cold bath and the 16-year-old passed out, later awakening to find her friend unresponsive, the court papers claim.
From February to April, Wardlow “exchanged several messages” with others offering the pills in exchange for sex, the complaint says.
Wardlow is charged with sex trafficking of a minor and unlawful distribution of narcotics and faces up to life in prison if convicted on the top charge.
“The defendant’s alleged conduct is reprehensible,” Manhattan US Attorney Damian Williams said in a statement. “The defendant’s conduct was allegedly part of a pattern of similar behavior in which he exchanged or attempted to exchange dangerous narcotics for sex.”
Wardlow is due in court Friday.
His lawyer didn’t immediately return a request for comment.
