A Bridgeton location was hiding a criminal enterprise where women were forced into sex under the false promise of employment as dancers, according to charges announced Tuesday.

New women would be brought in weekly from Paterson, Passaic, and Queens, NY, according to the charges. 

Three women were recovered when a search warrant was served at the undisclosed location Sept. 20, indicating to investigators that they were made to have commercial sex with approximately 400 men, according to the affidavit of probable cause obtained by BreakingAC.

The case was one of two indicted human-trafficking rings across the state that were the result of the Human Trafficking Unit formed by the attorney general two years ago.

In the second case, a woman in Essex County used threats and violence to force underage girls into providing sex for money, the charges claim.

“There is no tolerance for the exploitation of anyone, especially in this dehumanizing way,” Attorney General Matthew Platkin said. “My office has made the investigation and prosecution of human trafficking a top priority. We urge members of the public to call our confidential hotline, 855-END-NJ-HT, if they are being victimized or see someone who they suspect is being subjected to this type of exploitation. We will investigate, and we will prosecute.”

    Usiel 'Javier' Luna  

Usiel Luna, 42, of Bridgeton, was the alleged leader of the Cumberland County enterprise, referred to as “a Latin American brothel.”

His three co-defendants claimed they were employed by Luna, who they called “Javier,” and had different duties.

Jose Perez-Lopez, 40, would travel to Queens and Paterson weekly to pick up women, and set up their arrival in Bridgeton. In exchange, he would receive between $300 and $400, he said.

The “johns” would pay $50 for a poker chip to have sex with the women, he told investigators, according to the affidavit.

    Yerson 'Venezuela' Puentes-Marquez  

Yerson Puentes-Marquez, known as Venezuela, was in charge of handling the women, he told investigators. He allegedly ran the day-to-day operations of the brothel.

The job used to belong to co-defendant Rosendo Vazquez-Hernandez, according to the affidavit, but after someone left for Mexico — the name is redacted — the 35-year-old man was put in charge of distributing drugs.

Distribution levels of methamphetamine, cocaine and marijuana were recovered from the location, along with a large amount of cash. More than $50,000 was also seized from Luna’s home on Laurel Street, according to the charges.

    Rosendo Vazquez Hernandez  

The three women recovered when the location was searched said they were brought they under the guise they would be dancing. But when they arrived, Luna told them they could not leave, the affidavit states.

They said they had been brought there four days earlier, not knowing of the significant amount of drugs inside, or that they “would be performing commercial sex on a vast number of patrons.”

Later that day, they heard or saw a patron being assaulted and robbed with a weapon. At that point, they said they felt they could not leave.

A ledger found during the search corroborated the women’s allegations that they had performed commercial sex acts on about 400 men.

Luna, Vazquez-Hernandez and Yerson Puentes-Marquez are in the Cumberland County jail. Perez-Lopez is not listed as being detained anywhere in the state. 

“The charges against these individuals mark a crucial victory in our unwavering mission to protect the most vulnerable members of our society,” said Colonel Patrick J. Callahan, superintendent of the New Jersey State Police. “We are resolute in our commitment to collaborating with our law enforcement partners to ensure that traffickers are held accountable and that those who exploit our residents face swift and severe justice. Our foremost priority remains the safety and well-being of our communities, and we will not rest until every victim is shielded from harm and restored to safety.”

ESSEX COUNTY

A Newark woman is also accused of running a human-trafficking ring, where two 15-year-old girls and a 13-year-old were allegedly being trafficked.

Khailah Meekins, 21, and alleged co-conspirator, 28-year-old Donte Barkley, were indicted for allegedly arranging sexual encounters with the juveniles through smartphone apps. 

Online advertisements were posted that included nude photos of the minor, according to the Attorney General’s Office.

Meekins and Barkley used threats and physical violence that included biting, punching, stomping, hair pulling and beatings with an extension cord, according to the charges.

The victims would be brought to short-term rentals and hotels, where patrons would pay the defendants to sexually assault the minors.

Richard Johnson, 24, of Irvington, was indicted on charges including first-degree aggravated sexual assault after allegedly paying for one of the minors to engage in sexual activity with him. 

“We are committed to relentlessly pursuing justice for those who have been affected by these crimes,” said J. Stephen Ferketic, Director of the Division of Criminal Justice. “Law enforcement agencies across our State are committed to doing all that we can to investigate and vigorously prosecute human traffickers.”

These investigations were led by the NJ State Police Human Trafficking Unit in partnership with the attorneys from the Department of Criminal Justice Human Trafficking Unit and with assistance from the Cumberland County Prosecutor's Office. The prosecution is being handled by DCJ Deputy Attorneys General Lisa Queen, Amie Hyde and Jaclyn Dowd, under the supervision of Bureau Chief Laura Magnone and DCJ Deputy Director Jillian Carpenter.