A federal grand jury in New Jersey has indicted Treva Edwards, 60, on charges of sex trafficking by force, fraud, or coercion and forced labor. Additionally, both Treva Edwards and Christine Edwards, 63, face charges of conspiracy to commit forced labor. The indictment was returned on April 25 and unsealed on Wednesday.
The accused were the founders and pastors of a church named “Jesus is Lord by the Holy Ghost,” operating out of an apartment building in Orange, New Jersey. They allegedly conspired to obtain compelled labor from church members.
“The Department of Justice will not tolerate the exploitation of vulnerable individuals under the guise of faith or community,” stated Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon from the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. U.S. Attorney Alina Habba for the District of New Jersey emphasized their commitment to prosecuting human trafficking: “If you engage in human trafficking, we will find you, and we will prosecute you.”
According to Special Agent in Charge Ricky J. Patel from Homeland Security Investigations Newark Division, “Treva and Christine Edwards turned a source of hope into a tool of fear.” The allegations suggest they exploited religious faith to manipulate victims into sexual violence and forced labor conditions.
Special Agent in Charge Jonathan Mellone from the Department of Labor's Office of Inspector General also reiterated their mission to investigate such cases: “We will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to investigate these types of allegations.”
The indictment details that between 2011 and 2020, the defendants recruited individuals facing personal struggles into their church community. Victims were told disobedience would result in spiritual retribution or harm. They performed unpaid manual labor while living under strict rules imposed by the defendants.
Treva Edwards allegedly subjected one victim to physical and sexual assaults resulting in pregnancy and instructed her to have an abortion.
The defendants appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge André M. Espinosa today. If convicted, Treva Edwards faces a mandatory minimum penalty of 15 years for sex trafficking with a potential life sentence. The forced labor charge could lead to up to twenty years or life imprisonment if aggravated sexual abuse is proven.
Assistant Attorneys Trevor Chenoweth and Susan Millenky are handling prosecution alongside Trial Attorney Francisco Zornosa from the Human Trafficking Prosecution Unit.
Homeland Security Investigations Newark encourages anyone with information about Treva Edwards or Christine Edwards' organization "Jesus is Lord by the Holy Ghost" (JLHG) to contact its tip line at (866) 347-2423 or email HSINewarkHumanTrafficking@hsi.dhs.gov.
An indictment represents only an allegation; all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond reasonable doubt in court.