TRENTON, NJ — Seven individuals have been indicted in connection with two human trafficking operations in North and South Jersey, where victims, including minors, were subjected to physical abuse and forced into prostitution, Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin announced Monday.
The investigation in Cumberland County uncovered an alleged prostitution ring led by Usiel Luna, 42, of Bridgeton. Authorities claim Luna, along with co-defendants Jose Perez-Lopez, 40, Rosendo Vazquez-Hernandez, 35, and Yerson Puentes-Marquez, 28, lured women under the pretense of offering work as dancers but forced them into prostitution at a brothel in Bridgeton. New victims were allegedly recruited weekly from Queens, New York, and Paterson, New Jersey, and compelled to engage in sexual acts with hundreds of men.
Platkin did not reveal the immigration status of the Bridgeton suspects, but did say the operation appears to be tied to a larger organized crime syndicate.
Investigators seized methamphetamine, cocaine, marijuana, and over $50,000 in cash during searches of the brothel and Luna’s residence, according to officials.
In another case, centered in Essex County, investigators allege that two Newark residents, Khailah Meekins, 21, and Donte Barkley, 28, trafficked three juvenile victims, ages 13 and 15. The defendants reportedly arranged sexual encounters for the minors by advertising nude images online and using smartphone applications.
Customers allegedly paid the defendants to sexually assault the victims in hotels and short-term rentals. Prosecutors say the defendants controlled the victims through violence, including beatings with an extension cord, hair pulling, and stomping.
“These charges mark a crucial step in protecting vulnerable individuals from exploitation,” said Colonel Patrick J. Callahan, Superintendent of the New Jersey State Police. “We remain steadfast in our commitment to ensuring that traffickers face justice.”
Both cases were spearheaded by the Division of Criminal Justice’s (DCJ) Human Trafficking Unit, established in 2023. Attorney General Platkin emphasized the importance of the Unit’s work, saying, “There is no tolerance for the exploitation of anyone, especially in this dehumanizing way.”
The public is encouraged to report suspected trafficking through New Jersey’s confidential hotline at 855-END-NJ-HT.