A Mays Landing man accused of forcing women into sex slavery was ordered held in jail Monday.
El Joshua is accused of holding three women inside his home, forcing two to have sex with men for money and making a third his servant.
But Joshua's attorney argued that the information provided by the alleged victims was inconsistent, including that two left the area for about a month around Thanksgiving, then got back in contact with him
She also said that Joshua worked several hours each day, leaving no one in the home to keep the women there.
The state alleges that Joshua used threats and heroin to hold the women.
In questioning the reliability of the women, defense attorney Kate Weigel said that two had left a halfway house and that one was "turned over to probation."
Joshua tried to speak to the judge on his behalf at his detention hearing, despite multiple warnings against it by his attorney.
"Your honor, during the time the young ladies was living in my house..." he began after being sworn in.
But Judge Patricia Wild stopped him, and then warned him that the prosecutor would be able to cross-examine him when he was done.
"The judge acting like I'm immaterial because the white lady say something then I'm automatically guilty," Joshua could be heard saying to his attorney, Kate Wiegel.
"People ... come into my courtroom everyday of all races, creeds and colors and nobody in this courtroom is permitted to treat anybody with any disrespect ... I want you to understand that, Sir," Wild said. "As far as I'm concerned, everybody in this courtroom is the same color, they have the same creed and what I try to do every day is to make sure that everybody gets the full chance to say what it is they have to say to me."
But, she added, what he wanted to say touched on his case. Wild warned him that Assistant Prosecutor Erika Halayko could then cross-examine him and ask questions that could "frankly, trip you up and could get you to say things."
"Now what to you want to do?" she asked him.
"I'll take your advice, Your Honor," he replied.
Wild said she did not know the race of anyone involved until Joshua mentioned it.
Joshua's public safety assessment — which is used under bail reform to help determine if a defendant should be detained — recommended he not be released.
He has two previous convictions in Florida, where he lived five years ago. Joshua also has three children there that he supports, Weigel said. He also has a 1-month-old child with his girlfriend, with whom he shares the home where the women were allegedly held.
