An undercover child exploitation and prostitution investigation in Secaucus has led to the arrest of 10 people including a Carteret man who was charged with promoting the prostitution of a 16-year-old girl who had been reported missing.
Vernon T. Brooks, 25, of Carteret, is charged with promoting the prostitution of a minor and endangering the welfare of a minor, regarding a 16-year-old girl. JERSEY CITY -- An undercover investigation into prostitution and child exploitation in Secaucus has led to the arrest of 10 people, including a Carteret man accused of promoting the prostitution of a 16-year-old girl who had been reported missing.
In the probe conducted by the Hudson County Prosecutor's Office and the Secaucus Police Department, an undercover officer contacted several escorts via website advertisements on Thursday made arrangements to meet them, Hudson County Prosecutor Esther Suarez announced.
During each meeting, the undercover officer and escort negotiated a price for a sexual act and when the deal was made, the escorts were arrested on the charge of prostitution, Suarez said.
A total of $1,400 was also seized during the probe, the prosecutor added. .
During the investigation, the 16-year-old girl was identified as an escort and negotiated the price of a sexual act with an undercover officer. But authorities determined she had been involved in human trafficking in Union County in the past and was treated as a victim, Suarez said, adding that she was not charged with any offenses.
Vernon T. Brooks, 25, of Carteret, was charged with promoting the prostitution of a minor and endangering the welfare of a minor. His bail was set at $100,000 cash or bond.
Ray Marlon Owens, 37, of Baltimore; Leia Alliston, 41, of New York City and Kevin William, 26, of Orange, were charged with promoting prostitution.
Arrested and charged with prostitution were: Carolina Barhena, 32, of the Bronx; Lisa Bengtson, 33, of Baltimore; Jaran Elizabeth-Ellen Reid, 21, of Newark; Jennifer Crisp, 37, of South Dakota; Pa Lee, 43, of Flushing, NY and Tahinah Borgella, 28, of West Orange.