Women who thought they were coming to South Jersey to become dancers were instead forced into prostitution in a brothel that served hundreds of men every week, according to authorities.
Four Bridgeton men are charged with human trafficking and drug crimes after a two-year investigation, New Jersey Attorney General Matthew Platkin said at a news conference Tuesday. The alleged victims, from Queens, New York, and Paterson, Passaic County, were lured to a home on the 100 block of North Laurel Street in Bridgeton and then told they could not leave.
The women, who witnessed acts of violence in the home, “were forced to engage in commercial sex with hundreds of men throughout the week,” the attorney general’s office said in a statement.
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According to a 27-count indictment, the ring allegedly operated from March 2022 to the end of September 2024.
Investigators also seized “distribution quantities” of methamphetamine, cocaine and marijuana from the North Laurel Street home and from the home of the alleged ringleader, the statement said. In addition, more than $50,000 in cash was seized from the two properties.
“We do this work for the survivors, for the victims,” Platkin said at a news conference in Trenton.
He urged people to call a confidential hotline 855-END-NJ-HT “if they become a victim or see someone they suspect is being exposed to this type of exploitation.”
The investigation reflected an emphasis on training investigators “to deal with the sensitivities” of human trafficking victims, said Theresa Hilton, an assistant attorney general who oversees prosecutions of human trafficking and domestic violence cases.
“It’s hard to talk about for someone who survived something like that,” Hilton said.
“Understanding what a survivor experienced is important to proving the allegations.”
Detectives used surveillance, search warrants and other investigative techniques to confirm information from victims, Hilton said.
According to Platkin, the sex trafficking ring was run by 42-year-old Usiel Luna. The charges against him include five counts of human trafficking, including organizing a commercial sex ring, as well as racketeering and distribution of methamphetamine.
Also charged Monday were 40-year-old Jose Perez-Lopez, 35-year-old Rosendo Vazquez-Hernandez and 28-year-old Yerson Puentes-Marquez.
Each of these men was charged with four counts of human trafficking. Perez-Lopez and Vazquez-Hernandez were also charged with racketeering, and Vazquez-Hernandez faces a drug distribution charge.
The accusations are just accusations. No one has been convicted in the case.
Jim Walsh is a senior reporter for the Courier-Post, Burlington County Times and The Daily Journal. Email: Jwalsh@cpsj.com.
This article originally appeared on Cherry Hill Courier-Post: Bridgeton human trafficking charges: Usiel Luna, Jose Perez-Lopez, others
