(GoRealNewsNow.com) – The hard reality of human trafficking has reared its ugly head once more as New Jersey law enforcement dismantled two major human trafficking networks and arrested seven individuals accused of exploiting minors.
Seven suspects have been indicted for their involvement in two separate sex trafficking rings operating in New Jersey.
The first ring, centered in Essex County, involved the exploitation of three underage girls, including two 15-year-olds and a 13-year-old.
Now, 21-year-old Khailah Meekins and 28-year-old Donte Barkley face charges of first-degree human trafficking for their roles in this despicable operation.
The methods employed by these criminals were inhumane. Meekins allegedly used extreme violence, including beatings with an electrical cord, to control her young victims.
Meanwhile, Barkley exploited technology to victimize these children further, using smartphone apps to arrange meetings with strangers after advertising the minors online with nude photos.
Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin described the horrific nature of the crimes, stating that the victims were “subjecting them to sexual assaults by strangers,” and this occurred “on a weekly basis.”
The second trafficking ring, operating out of Cumberland County, lured women under false pretenses and forced them into commercial sex work at a Bridgeton brothel.
42-year-old Usiel Luna, along with co-conspirators Jose Perez-Lopez, Rosendo Vazquez-Hernandez, and Yerson Puentes-Marquez, was indicted for their involvement in this operation, which ran from March 2022 to September 2024.
A raid on the brothel and Luna’s home uncovered $50,000 in cash, along with methamphetamine, cocaine, and marijuana, which highlights the connection between human trafficking and the illegal drug trade.
The scale of human trafficking in New Jersey is alarming. Attorney General Platkin acknowledged, “We know that the FBI considers New Jersey to be a hub for this type of activity.”
Since 2007, a staggering 2,107 cases of human trafficking have been identified in the state, demonstrating the urgent need for more aggressive law enforcement action and stricter legislation.
Moreover, the indictments follow the establishment of a dedicated human trafficking unit in the attorney general’s office two years ago, a move that has already shown results.
More defendants have been charged with human trafficking offenses in 2024 than in the entire period from 2018 to 2022 combined.
In addition, AG Platkin emphasized the state’s commitment to this fight, stating, “There is no tolerance for the exploitation of anyone, especially in this dehumanizing way.”
“We urge members of the public to call our confidential hotline, 855-END-NJ-HT, if they are being victimized or see someone who they suspect is being subjected to this type of exploitation. We will investigate, and we will prosecute,” he continued.
These cases bring to light the crucial work carried out by law enforcement and the justice system to protect the innocent and punish the guilty.
New Jersey’s fight against human trafficking continues, determined to safeguard its communities from such henious exploitation.
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