Jerome Anthony Oliver, 52, of Bayonne, was pulled over in a black Ford Edge with Missouri temp tags in West Pennsboro, Cumberland County by Pennsylvania State Police Trooper Travis Martin on Sunday, April 28.
Inside the vehicle, troopers found a 17-year-old girl listed as a missing and endangered child in the national database out of Missouri. Police also recovered condoms, sexual lubricants, lingerie, multiple hotel key cards, several cell phones, and cash.
The teen told troopers on scene that she had been forced to perform sex acts against her will and that Oliver had sexually explicit photos of her on his phone, according to police.
She was taken to PSP Carlisle and interviewed by Troopers Kara Gooley and Jacob Fackler. The girl revealed she met Oliver around six months earlier in Kansas City. Since then, he had sex with her nearly every day, often while she was high on marijuana he gave her — and sometimes while she was asleep.
He provided her with clothes, a phone, money, and a diamond bracelet, then told her they were going on a trip for her to work as a stripper. During the trip, Oliver allegedly said she would also be having sex with men for money, and he had already created and posted an online sex ad featuring the girl.
A 19-year-old woman riding with them corroborated the minor’s story, officials said.
“This is an excellent example of superb police work,” said Cumberland County District Attorney Seán M. McCormack. “From Trooper Martin’s initial heads-up recognition of this human trafficking situation... we now have one less victim trapped.”
McCormack pointed to Operation: Impact Demand — a local anti-human trafficking initiative — as crucial to cases like this, saying the campaign is designed to cut off demand by targeting the buyers who fund the commercial sex trade.
Jerome Oliver is being held without bail at Cumberland County Prison. His preliminary hearing is scheduled for Thursday, May 8 before Magisterial District Judge John J. Hanner II.
Click here to follow Daily Voice and receive free news updates.
