BRIDGETON, N.J. — Seven individuals are facing charges after authorities dismantled two separate human trafficking rings in New Jersey, one of which was centered in Cumberland County. The investigation, which spanned more than two years, resulted in the uncovering of a brothel operating in Bridgeton, where women were allegedly coerced into forced prostitution.
According to New Jersey Attorney General Matt Platkin, the indictment reveals that four of the accused, involved in both drug and human trafficking, were responsible for recruiting women under false pretenses, promising them jobs as dancers. Instead, the women were forced to engage in sex acts with hundreds of men and were not allowed to leave. Authorities also say new victims were brought in weekly from Queens, New York, and Paterson, New Jersey.
The ringleader, 42-year-old Usiel Luna, is said to have organized the operation, working with co-defendants Jose Perez-Lopez, Rosendo Vazquez-Hernandez, and Yerson Puentes-Marquez. During the bust, police seized significant quantities of methamphetamine, cocaine, and marijuana, along with $50,000 in cash, both from the brothel and Luna’s residence.
Authorities emphasized the gravity of the operation, with Luna potentially facing a sentence of 20 years to life in prison if convicted. The investigation also revealed a second trafficking ring in North Jersey, where teenage victims were allegedly exploited under the threat of violence.
This case highlights the ongoing battle against human trafficking, with law enforcement urging anyone with information to come forward.