Trenton couple charged with trafficking teen girl into sex slavery
LAWRENCE » A Trenton couple has been arrested on allegations they forced a 17-year-old girl into sex slavery.
Alleged pimp Breon Mickens, 26, and alleged madam Ashley Gardener, 29, have each been hammered with human trafficking charges in the case, authorities said Thursday in a news release.
State troopers located the victim Jan. 11 walking along Interstate 295 in Lawrence Township. She told the troopers that she had escaped from a hotel where she was being forced to perform sex acts, according to the New Jersey State Police press release.
Troopers, after speaking with the victim, determined that Mickens and his partner Gardener had transported the victim to hotels against her will to engage in prostitution, authorities alleged.
Gardener is accused of forcing the 17-year-old victim to engage in sexual activity with multiple men and allegedly collected the money paid by the clients. Gardener is further accused of placing sexually suggestive ads on Backpage. com featuring photos of herself and the victim.
Troopers arrested Gardener at a township hotel and arrested Mickens in Trenton earlier this month, according to state police. Gardener was charged with human trafficking, human trafficking of a minor, and promoting prostitution, and Mickens was charged with human trafficking and possession of marijuana, which was seized during his arrest. Both were lodged at the Mercer County Correction Center pending a detention hearing, authorities said in the press release.
“Trafficking anyone, man or woman, boy or girl, is a violation of basic human rights — it is appalling and indecent, and it will not be tolerated in New Jersey,” Col. Patrick Callahan, acting superintendent of the New Jersey State Police, said in a press statement. He commended the troopers and other law-enforcement agencies “for swiftly locating and arresting those responsible, and also the person who called 9-1-1, because public assistance is an essential component of our mission.”