What federal and state charges did Jeffrey Epstein face in the 2019 arrest?

1. The federal indictment that triggered the 2019 arrest

Federal prosecutors in the Southern District of New York unsealed an indictment charging Epstein with sex trafficking of minors and conspiracy to engage in sex trafficking of minors; the DOJ press release and contemporaneous reporting make clear the formal charges were one count of sex trafficking of minors and one count of conspiracy to commit sex trafficking, describing exploitation of dozens of underage girls at his New York and Palm Beach properties ^{[1] [4]}. The indictment framed the conduct as occurring “from at least 2002 through at least 2005,” and specified a scheme in which victims were enticed with cash and then recruited others to be abused ^[1].

2. Penalties alleged in the federal case and prosecutorial framing

Prosecutors stated the statutory maximum penalties — up to 40 years for the sex‑trafficking count and up to 5 years for the conspiracy count — in public materials announcing the charges, and emphasized victims were then‑children who had been exploited and recruited by Epstein’s network ^[1]. Reporting also noted prosecutors sought ancillary relief such as forfeiture of property connected to alleged crimes, including his Manhattan home ^[5].

3. How the 2019 federal case related to earlier Florida state actions

The 2019 federal charges followed a long history of state investigations in Florida and a widely criticized 2008 non‑prosecution agreement that resulted in a plea to state prostitution charges rather than a federal prosecution at that time. Reporting and later coverage made clear federal prosecutors in New York concluded they were not bound by that earlier deal and therefore pursued fresh federal charges in 2019 ^{[6] [3] [7]}. Detailed descriptions of the 2006–2008 Palm Beach probe and the subsequent plea deal are referenced in multiple sources, though the 2019 indictment itself was federal ^{[6] [2]}.

4. Arrest circumstances and procedural posture

Epstein was arrested in early July 2019 after returning to the U.S.; the federal indictment was unsealed in Manhattan, and he pleaded not guilty in federal court. Coverage across major outlets and the DOJ announcement confirm the July 6–8, 2019 timeline for arrest and charging ^{[5] [1] [2]}. He was held without bail pending trial on those federal counts ^[5].

5. Victim allegations and scope described in filings

The federal indictment and reporting asserted the alleged abuse involved “dozens” of minor girls and included a recruiting mechanism — victims would be enticed with money and sometimes asked to bring others — with incidents occurring at multiple residences, most prominently Epstein’s Upper East Side mansion and his Palm Beach estate ^{[1] [4]}. Those factual allegations underpinned the two federal counts; they were not resolved in court because Epstein died while in custody ^{[4] [5]}.

6. State charges in 2019 — what reporting says and what it does not

Available reporting emphasizes that the 2019 arrest charged Epstein federally in New York (sex‑trafficking and conspiracy) and that earlier Florida investigations and a 2008 state plea remain part of the broader history ^{[1] [6]}. Sources do not present a separate, contemporaneous new state indictment filed against Epstein in 2019; instead they describe the earlier Florida/state charging history and how New York prosecutors moved forward with federal charges in 2019 ^{[2] [3]}. If you are asking about a distinct 2019 state criminal filing, available sources do not mention one.

7. Disputes, context, and why the distinction matters

Journalists and prosecutors repeatedly contrasted the 2019 federal charges with the decade‑old Florida non‑prosecution deal; critics argued that prior agreement had shielded Epstein from fuller federal scrutiny earlier, while federal authorities in 2019 said they were not bound by it and pursued sex‑trafficking charges based on new or re‑examined evidence ^{[6] [3]}. That dispute has driven ongoing demands for release of investigative records and congressional action described in later reporting ^[8].

Limitations and next steps: my summary relies on the DOJ press release and contemporary news accounts in the provided files; for the exact indictment text, count language, or to track related civil suits and state grand jury actions you should consult the unsealed indictment or court dockets directly (not found in current reporting provided here) ^{[1] [2]}.