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Sex Trafficking

Trump AG Pick Matt Gaetz Withdraws From Consideration Amid Sexual Misconduct Allegations Trump AG Pick Matt Gaetz Withdraws From Consideration Amid Sexual Misconduct Allegations
Trump AG Pick Matt Gaetz Withdraws From Consideration Amid Sexual Misconduct Allegations Facing stiff opposition in the US Senate, embattled former Florida Congressman Matt Gaetz has withdrawn his name from consideration to be President-elect Donald Trump's attorney general. The 42-year-old Gaetz had been the subject of an investigation by the Justice Department involving allegations of sex trafficking and sex with a minor.  "I had excellent meetings with Senators yesterday," Gaetz posted on social media early Thursday afternoon, Nov. 21. "I appreciate their thoughtful feedback - and the incredible support of so many.  "While the momentum was strong, it is clear that…
120 Accuse Sean 'Diddy' Combs Of Sex Abuse In New Class Action Lawsuit: Report 120 Accuse Sean 'Diddy' Combs Of Sex Abuse In New Class Action Lawsuit: Report
120 Accuse Sean 'Diddy' Combs Of Sex Abuse In New Class Action Lawsuit: Report The legal troubles faced by Sean "Diddy" Combs, a New York native, are far from over, as the hip-hop mogul is facing allegations of sexual assault from over 100 new accusers, according to a report by NBC News.  Texas-based attorney Tony Buzbee announced on Tuesday, Oct. 1 that he is currently representing 120 people with various allegations against Combs occurring over two decades, NBC reported.  These accusations against Combs, a New York City native who grew up in Westchester County's Mount Vernon, include sexual assault or rape; facilitated sex with a controlled substance;…
Confessed NJ/Philly Sex Trafficker Who Beat, Threatened Victims Gets 10 Years, No Early Release Confessed NJ/Philly Sex Trafficker Who Beat, Threatened Victims Gets 10 Years, No Early Release
Confessed NJ/Philly Sex Trafficker Who Beat, Threatened Victims Gets 10 Years, No Early Release UPDATE: A confessed sex trafficker from Philadelphia was sentenced in federal court in New Jersey to 10 years in prison. Mallie M. Evans, 37, must spend at least 8½ years behind bars before he’ll be eligible for release because there’s no parole in the federal prison system. Evans “recruited and coerced multiple victims” as prostitutes, shuttling them between Philly and Central and South Jersey, U.S. Attorney For New Jersey Philip R. Sellinger said. “Evans used fraud, emotional manipulation, physical violence, and threats of death and bodily injury to coerce the victims into engaging in co…
NJ's Aaron Rodgers Declines To Apologize To Jimmy Kimmel Over Epstein Claims NJ's Aaron Rodgers Declines To Apologize To Jimmy Kimmel Over Epstein Claims
NJ's Aaron Rodgers Declines To Apologize To Jimmy Kimmel Over Epstein Claims Aaron Rodgers does not believe Jimmy Kimmel is a pedophile. That was about the nicest thing the Essex County resident had to say about the late night talk show host. Rodgers appeared on his weekly spot on ESPN's "The Pat McAfee Show," on Tuesday, Jan. 9, where he attempted to clarify his previous comments where he implied Kimmel was a patron of Jeffrey Epstein, the wealthy financier and a convicted sex offender. The New York Jets quarterback, who purchased a mansion in Cedar Grove following his trade to Gang Green, said by saying Kimmel didn't want Epstein's client list to be released, he w…
Jurors Convict Elizabeth Man Who Lured Out-Of-State Escorts To NJ, Then Raped And Beat Them Jurors Convict Elizabeth Man Who Lured Out-Of-State Escorts To NJ, Then Raped And Beat Them
Jurors Convict Elizabeth Man Who Lured Out-Of-State Escorts To NJ, Then Raped And Beat Them Federal jurors in Newark convicted an Elizabeth man of luring out-of-state escorts to New Jersey for sex with false promises of paying them tens of thousands of dollars, authorities said. Jose Torres, 45, refused to pay those who accepted the offer and often raped and beat any who pressed him for the money, according to an indictment that led to his conviction on Wednesday, Oct. 11, following a six-day trial. Jurors in federal court in Newark found Torres guilty of four counts of persuading, inducing, and enticing women to travel in interstate commerce to engage in prostitution, U…
UPDATE: Number Of Victims Of Repeat Sex Trafficker Reaches Four In NJ, PA, Authorities Charge UPDATE: Number Of Victims Of Repeat Sex Trafficker Reaches Four In NJ, PA, Authorities Charge
Update: Number Of Victims Of Repeat Sex Trafficker Reaches Four In NJ, PA, Authorities Charge The number of alleged victims of a paroled sex trafficker from New Jersey has reached four, federal authorities said. Amin Sharif, 48, of Newark had been free for a year after serving nearly a decade in federal prison when he returned to pimping women and girls, authorities said. Federal agents seized Sharif on sex trafficking charges in January 2022, and have held him since then, while continuing an ongoing investigation that produced an indictment that cites the additional victims. Sharif "used several social media platforms and profiles to recruit women and minors to engage in sex acts…
Rapes, Beatings, Brandings: Married Paterson Sex Traffickers Who 'Defied Humanity' Go To Prison Rapes, Beatings, Brandings: Married Paterson Sex Traffickers Who 'Defied Humanity' Go To Prison
Rapes, Beatings, Brandings: Married Paterson Sex Traffickers Who 'Defied Humanity' Go To Prison A married Passaic County couple who operated a sex trafficking ring that raped, beat and branded women with the husband's name while he was in prison have been sentenced for their crimes, authorities announced. Enna Gonzalez, 58, was sentenced to a plea-bargained four years in federal prison last Thursday, July 6, by U.S. District Judge Madeline Cox Arleo in Newark for crimes that one federal official said “defy humanity.” Her husband, Jean “Poison” Noriega, 52, also took a deal from the government and was sentenced last month to 20 years in prison in exchange for a guilty plea, U.S. Attorn…
Trans Pedo Who Made Sadistic Sex Videos Of Daughter, 7, Moved To Infamous NJ Women's Prison Trans Pedo Who Made Sadistic Sex Videos Of Daughter, 7, Moved To Infamous NJ Women's Prison
Trans Pedo Who Made Sadistic Sex Videos Of Daughter, 7, Moved To Infamous NJ Women's Prison A transgender pedophile who produced sadistic sex abuse videos of her 7-year-old daughter has been housed since last summer in New Jersey's notorious women's prison along with her lover, state records confirm. Marina Volz, 34, originally was processed as a man and sent to serve a 25-year sentence at South Woods State Prison in Bridgeton. But a check of state records -- prompted by recent published reports -- found Volz listed at the Edna Mahan Correctional Facility along with Ashley Romero, a 30-year-old transgender inmate herself who was convicted of participating in the abuse. New Jerse…
Feds: NJ Family Services Caseworker Busted With Child Porn Tried To Traffic Minor For Sex Feds: NJ Family Services Caseworker Busted With Child Porn Tried To Traffic Minor For Sex
Feds: NJ Family Services Caseworker Busted With Child Porn Tried To Traffic Minor For Sex UPDATE: A now-former New Jersey child services worker who was busted on child porn charges at Newark Airport nearly a year ago also tried to traffic a minor for prostitution, federal authorities said they've learned. Trent Collier, a 56-year-old onetime "family service specialist" for the state Division of Child Protection and Permanency, had arrived on a flight from the Dominican Republic last October when images of child pornography were found on his cellphone, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger said. "One image depicts a fully nude prepubescent boy and fully nude prepubescent girl on…
R. Kelly Gets 30 Years Without Parole For Sex Trafficking R. Kelly Gets 30 Years Without Parole For Sex Trafficking
R. Kelly Gets 30 Years Without Parole For Sex Trafficking R&B singer R. Kelly is a "disgusting" child abuser who taught his victims that love was "enslavement and violence," said a federal judge in Brooklyn who sentenced him to 30 years in prison Wednesday for running a decades-long sex trafficking ring that included child victims. The “I Believe I Can Fly” singer raped and otherwise sexually abused victims "with regularity" for nearly 25 years, U.S. District Court Judge Ann Donnelly said. “This case is not about sex. It’s about violence and cruelty and control,” the judge told Kelly, who reportedly is now destitute after selling more tha…
Child 'Sexploitation': Ridgewood Man, Accused Female Trafficker From Georgia Busted In Probe Child 'Sexploitation': Ridgewood Man, Accused Female Trafficker From Georgia Busted In Probe
Child 'Sexploitation': Ridgewood Man, Accused Female Trafficker From Georgia Busted In Probe The arrest of a Ridgewood man who sought nude photos and videos from kids he had online sex chats with led investigators to a child in Georgia who was being victimized by a female sex trafficker, authorities said. James A. Razin, 36, “used the Internet to view, download, possess, and distribute files depicting nude and/or sexually explicit prepubescent children,” Bergen County Prosecutor Mark Musella said on Wednesday, May 25. Razin, who lives in the Mayflower Apartments complex on East Ridgewood Avenue, also “engaged[d] in live, one-on-one online chats with children and requested nude ima…
Ex-MTV Star Who Recruited Sex Trafficking Victims On Social Media Nabbed In Maryland: Police Ex-MTV Star Who Recruited Sex Trafficking Victims On Social Media Nabbed In Maryland: Police
Ex-mtv Star Who Recruited Sex Trafficking Victims On Social Media Nabbed In Maryland: Police A former MTV reality show star wanted out of Las Vegas for using his large social media presence to recruit sex trafficking victims was arrested in Maryland, authorities said.  Kevin Barnes, aka "Choppa," was extradited to Las Vegas after his capture on a warrant in Linthicum on Monday, April 25, the Anne Arundel County Police Department said on Twitter.  The 37-year-old was formerly part of the MTV reality show "Making The Band," TMZ reports.  Mr. Barnes was arrested on @LVMPD warrant in Linthicum, Maryland. Detectives believe there may be local victims. If anyone has any additional i…
College Sex Cult Leader Larry Ray Of NJ Found Guilty On All Charges College Sex Cult Leader Larry Ray Of NJ Found Guilty On All Charges
College Sex Cult Leader Larry Ray Of NJ Found Guilty On All Charges The New Jersey man who ran a sex cult out of his daughter's dorm room will face life in prison after being found guilty by a jury of sexually exploiting and trafficking girls. Larry Ray, 62 — who was arrested at his home in Piscataway — was found guilty of 15 counts that include racketeering, sex trafficking, conspiracy, forced labor, extortion, tax evasion, and other crimes in relation to his scheme following multiple delays in his trial and prosecution. The jury deliberated for less than four hours before returning the guilty verdict. “Twelve years ago, Larry Ray moved into his…
Pimp, Prostitutes Busted In Hudson Hotel Sting: Police Chief Pimp, Prostitutes Busted In Hudson Hotel Sting: Police Chief
Pimp, Prostitutes Busted In Hudson Hotel Sting: Police Chief A pimp and three prostitutes were busted in an undercover hotel operation in Secaucus, the town's police chief said. "The sheer volume of hotels — we have between 15-18 — attracts prostitution in Secaucus," Police Chief Dennis Miller said. "Unfortunately, it's the underlying crime that leads to other crimes like robbery, drug deals and sexual assaults. Vanessa Garrido, 27, of Union City, and Zulay Guerrero, 39, of Queens were charged with engaging in and promoting prostitution, the chief said. In 2018, Guerrero was out on bail when she and then-36-year-old Terrance…
GOTCHA! Teaneck Fugitive Accused Of Running Sex Trafficking Ring Captured At Newark Airport GOTCHA! Teaneck Fugitive Accused Of Running Sex Trafficking Ring Captured At Newark Airport
Gotcha! Teaneck Fugitive Accused Of Running Sex Trafficking Ring Captured At Newark Airport A fugitive from Bergen County wanted for running a massive sex-trafficking ring in North Jersey, Rockland and New York City was captured trying to re-enter the United States from Colombia, authorities confirmed. Birmania “Nancy” Rincon, 62, a Colombian national living in Teaneck, was among the ringleaders of a crew that forced dozens of women into prostitution, Bergen County Prosecutor Mark Musella said. She was in the wind, however, when authorities seized 21 defendants during a series of early-morning raids at 19 homes and other locations in Bergen and Hudson counties exactly two weeks ag…
Feds: Probe In NJ, PA Leads To Arrest Of Paroled Sex Trafficker Feds: Probe In NJ, PA Leads To Arrest Of Paroled Sex Trafficker
Feds: Probe In NJ, PA Leads To Arrest Of Paroled Sex Trafficker A paroled sex trafficker from New Jersey who served nearly 10 years in federal prison was free barely a year when he returned to pimping women and girls, authorities charged. A federal judge in Newark ordered Amin Sharif, 47, of Newark detained following a brief video conference Wednesday afternoon. Records show Sharif, formerly of East Orange, was released from federal prison on Jan. 30, 2020 after serving nearly 120 months for sex trafficking. He'd taken a plea bargain after investigators caught him trafficking underage girls and women, recruiting some of them from out of state on MySpac…
R. Kelly Convicted Of Child Sex Assaults, Sex Trafficking By Federal Jurors In NYC R. Kelly Convicted Of Child Sex Assaults, Sex Trafficking By Federal Jurors In NYC
R. Kelly Convicted Of Child Sex Assaults, Sex Trafficking By Federal Jurors In NYC R&B singer R. Kelly could spend the rest of his life behind bars after being convicted of running a decades-long sex trafficking ring -- one that included children as victims -- following a high-profile trial full of graphic testimony. The guilty verdict returned by seven male and five female federal jurors in Brooklyn on Monday "forever brands" Robert Sylvester Kelly, 54, as "a predator who used his fame and fortune to prey on the young, the vulnerable and the voiceless for his own sexual gratification," said Jacquelyn Kasulis, the acting US attorney for the Eastern District of New York…
Feds Take Case Against NYC Man Accused Of Sex Trafficking Minors To Hudson County Motels Feds Take Case Against NYC Man Accused Of Sex Trafficking Minors To Hudson County Motels
Feds Take Case Against NYC Man Accused Of Sex Trafficking Minors To Hudson County Motels UPDATE: A Bronx man now faces federal charges of trafficking two underage girls to New Jersey from Ohio for sex, authorities said. Norman Berry, 32, was busted in New York City following the arrest of an accused accomplice at a North Bergen motel early last month, they said. A week or so earlier, Berry brought the girls -- 14 and 15 – to the motel, where he told them that they could “get paid” for having sex with men and performing in streams, Acting U.S. Attorney Rachael A. Honig said Thursday. They declined, although the 15-year-old had sex with Norman in one of two motel rooms that he a…
MOST WANTED: Reward Offered For Fugitive NJ Couple In Nationwide Sex-Trafficking Ring MOST WANTED: Reward Offered For Fugitive NJ Couple In Nationwide Sex-Trafficking Ring
Most Wanted: Reward Offered For Fugitive NJ Couple In Nationwide Sex-Trafficking Ring The FBI is offering a $5,000 reward – or $2,500 each -- for information leading to the arrests of a couple wanted out of New Jersey for sex-trafficking victims across state lines using “force, fraud, and/or coercion.” Mallie Monte Evans, 34, and Elizabeth Sanchez, 25, have remained on the run since a federal judge in Trenton signed a warrant for Evans’s arrest last September, authorities said. It's a reflection of the danger they post that Evans and Sanchez were being sought publicly. Sex traffickers have rarely ended up on the FBI’s “Most Wanted” list. Both are considered armed and danger…
Authorities Smash International Sex-Trafficking Ring In NJ, NY, Rescue Dozens Of Victims Authorities Smash International Sex-Trafficking Ring In NJ, NY, Rescue Dozens Of Victims
Authorities Smash International Sex-Trafficking Ring In NJ, NY, Rescue Dozens Of Victims More than 50 women were forced into prostitution in North Jersey, Rockland County and New York City by male members of a large-scale international human trafficking ring run by three women from Teaneck and two men from Lodi, authorities said . A massive investigation into sex trafficking in both states culminated in a series of early-morning raids Wednesday at 19 homes and other locations in Bergen and Hudson counties – including Lodi, Teaneck, Englewood, Elmwood Park and Bergenfield. Detectives and uniformed police and sheriff's officers arrested 21 ring members. They also obtained a fug…
@ICEgov Twitter Account Vanishes @ICEgov Twitter Account Vanishes
@ICEgov Twitter Account Vanishes UPDATED: Without explanation, the Twitter account of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) went dark on Thursday. @ICEgov had recently posted a news item about a major sex trafficking bust, prompting some Twitter followers to assume a connection.  About 4 p.m., ICE officials announced that a "technical glitch" had temporarily disabled its social media account. “No hackers, no rogue employees. We had a technical glitch and we appreciate the Twitter team’s help in bringing us back online. Stay tuned here for more great news about the work that the men and women of ICE do every …
Piscataway Dad Accused Of Masterminding Sex Cult In College Dorm Piscataway Dad Accused Of Masterminding Sex Cult In College Dorm
Piscataway Dad Accused Of Masterminding Sex Cult In College Dorm A Piscataway man who moved into his daughter’s dorm has been charged with sex trafficking and extortion The 60-year-old is accused of subjecting his daughter's classmates at Sarah Lawrence College “to sexual and psychological manipulation and physical abuse,” according to an indictment unsealed by the U.S. Attorney’s Office of the Southern District of New York.  Lawrence Ray, also known as Lawrence Grecco, was charged with extortion, sex trafficking, forced labor, conspiracy and trafficking, two counts of use of interstate commerce to promote unlawful activity and money laundering…
Elizabeth Police Debunk Viral Rumor Of Sex Trafficking By Religious Group Elizabeth Police Debunk Viral Rumor Of Sex Trafficking By Religious Group
Elizabeth Police Debunk Viral Rumor Of Sex Trafficking By Religious Group The Elizabeth Police Department issued a statement Wednesday debunking viral online posts accusing a religious group of secretly trying to lure women and girls into sex work while proselytizing at the Jersey Gardens Mall.  "Several of you have shared allegations of sex trafficking by an organization/religion known as 'God the Mother.' This group has been operating around the country attempting to add to their ranks and has allegedly attempted to engage people in Elizabeth shopping areas. They typically approach someone and strike up a conversation revolving around religion, philosophy, …
Rapes, Beatings, Brandings: Paterson Sex-Trafficking Ring 'Defied Humanity,' FBI Chief Says Rapes, Beatings, Brandings: Paterson Sex-Trafficking Ring 'Defied Humanity,' FBI Chief Says
Rapes, Beatings, Brandings: Paterson Sex-Trafficking Ring 'Defied Humanity,' FBI Chief Says A Paterson convict ran a sex-trafficking ring from a New York prison, having the women he controlled raped, beaten and branded with his name, with help from his ex-wife and another accomplice, federal authorities said Thursday. Jean "Poison" Noriega, 48, used “violence, threats of violence, threats of drug withdrawal, and other means, to compel the victims to engage in commercial sex for his profit, including after his incarceration in New York in 2017,” U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito said. Noriega had help controlling the drug-dependent victims from Enna Gonzalez, 53, and John "Peachy,” Oyo…
Accused Pedophile Jeffrey Epstein Pleads Not Guilty After Teterboro Tarmac Arrest Accused Pedophile Jeffrey Epstein Pleads Not Guilty After Teterboro Tarmac Arrest
Accused Pedophile Jeffrey Epstein Pleads Not Guilty After Teterboro Tarmac Arrest Multimillionaire Jeffrey Epstein stepped off his private jet moments after touching down at Teterboro Airport and placed in handcuffs, arrested on federal sex trafficking charges after years of accusations, according to multiple reports. The arrest was in connection with a string of child sex abuse incidents between 2002 and 2005 that the 66-year-old pleaded not guilty to in a navy blue prison outfit on Monday in Manhattan federal court. The financier apparently abused "numerous" underage girls as young as 14 at his townhouse in Manhattan and estate in Palm Beach, Florida, according to…
FBI, Hanover Police Bust 6 For Prostitution In Undercover Hotel Sting FBI, Hanover Police Bust 6 For Prostitution In Undercover Hotel Sting
FBI, Hanover Police Bust 6 For Prostitution In Undercover Hotel Sting Four women and two men were arrested in an undercover prostitution sting by federal agents and state police at a Hanover hotel. Thursday's operation targeted possible human and sex trafficking, and the exploitation of juveniles, Hanover police said in a news release. The four women charged with prostitution were: Deja Berkelmann, 31 of Paterson Erica Parenti, 35 year of Easton P.A. Katherine Torres, 25 of Paterson  Carolina Mittman, 34 of Townsend D.E. Berkelmann and Torres also face drug charges. Rahj Majid, 22 of Ozone Park, N.Y., and Gerrod Martin, 27 of East Orange, were arr…
Teen Sex-Trafficking Couple Caught In Fort Lee Accept Plea Deals From Government Teen Sex-Trafficking Couple Caught In Fort Lee Accept Plea Deals From Government
Teen Sex-Trafficking Couple Caught In Fort Lee Accept Plea Deals From Government A Bronx couple caught at a Fort Lee hotel while trafficking an underage girl for sex took guilty pleas in federal court on Thursday. Richard “Ace” Ortiz, 23, and Gabriella Colon, 19, would have both faced life imprisonment if convicted at trial following Thursday’s please in U.S. District Court in Trenton, authorities said. Their prison sentences nonetheless will be significant -- and must be served entirely (There's no parole in the federal prison system). Ortiz and Colon forced the 17-year-old Lancaster, PA girl to have sex with several men at an East Brunswick hotel throughout the month…
Bergen 'Mother Of God' Warnings Increase On Facebook -- But Not To Police Bergen 'Mother Of God' Warnings Increase On Facebook -- But Not To Police
Bergen 'Mother Of God' Warnings Increase On Facebook -- But Not To Police Several Daily Voice readers say they've been aggressively approached in a variety of locations throughout Bergen County by members of the World Mission Society Church of God, which has congregations in Bogota and Ridgewood. Local police say there's little they can do, however, if the purported victims don't report the incidents to them. "These people are always at the Paramus Park Mall stopping people," Zeina Mansilla of Rochelle Park said. "At the point when they start talking, I keep walking." "They have approached me several times in the Ramsey Shoprite and in F…
Are Bergen County 'Mother Of God' Warnings Based On Fact Or Fiction? Are Bergen County 'Mother Of God' Warnings Based On Fact Or Fiction?
Are Bergen County 'Mother Of God' Warnings Based On Fact Or Fiction? Local police say there's little they can do about recent Facebook reports that a female group of religious followers is stalking people in Bergen County if the victims don't report the incidents to them. Several readers commented on this story on Facebook, saying that they've been aggressively approached in a variety of locations throughout Bergen County by members of the World Mission Society Church of God, which has churches in Bogota and Ridgewood. None of them reported the incidents to police. "These people are always at the Paramus Park Mall stopping people," Zeina Mansilla …