Three men from New Jersey were arrested for trafficking teenage girls.
Three people have been charged in New Jersey in connection with a human trafficking plot involving two teenage girls. People from Carteret, NJ (Desmond Bullock, 48), White House Station, NJ (Heather James, 37), and elsewhere in the state are being charged.
After police stepped in at a motel in Linden, Union County, they are being charged with human trafficking and other linked crimes. The Division of Criminal Justice, the New Jersey State Police, and the Linden Police Department were all involved in the probe.
The search began when a 15-year-old girl went missing on March 20, which led to the investigation. When police arrived, they found the child at a hotel in Linden with another girl who was 17 years old. Both were recovered right away. During the operation, Bullock, Zeleniak, and James were caught and charged with conspiracy, advertising commercial sex with a minor, and risking the welfare of a child. Zeleniak was also charged with having a controlled dangerous drug and having sexual contact with a minor without permission.
All three suspects were ordered to be held by Judge Chanel Hudson of the Union County Superior Court. In statements, state officials reaffirmed their dedication to fighting human trafficking and praised the work of law enforcement agencies working together to battle these serious crimes.