4 Men charged with human trafficking Hudson County NJ

Four men, including three from Jersey City, who authorities say forced a 14-year-old girl into having sex with up top 10 men a day in and around Hudson County, have been arrested and charged with human trafficking, the state Attorney General announced today.

Michael A. McLeod, 24, of Jersey City, the alleged “boss” of the prostitution ring, and his alleged assistants David Powell Jr., 28, of Jersey City, Tyree D. Jeter, 27, of Jersey City, and Demetrius James Hayward, 19, of Summerville, S.C. were charged on May 11 with conspiracy, human trafficking and promoting prostitution of a minor, acting Attorney General John J. Hoffman said.

McLeod surrendered to Jersey City police this morning, authorities said, while Powell and Jeter were arrested in Jersey City on May 11. Hayward had been in custody after a May 8 arrest, authorities said.

Authorities say McLeod used violence or threats to control the 14-year-old, who was a runaway from South Jersey, and an 18-year-old who was also forced into prostitution by the men.

The investigation began in April when the FBI Task Force received a tip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children that photos of the 14-year-old victim were being used in ads for a “female escort” on backpage.com.

An undercover detective with the FBI telephoned the number and arranged a “date” for April 9, 2015 at a motel room in Secaucus, authorities said.

The detective was met at the motel by the 14-year-old girl as well as the 18-year-old victim. After the 14-year-old girl offered the detective sex for money, officers entered the motel room and took custody of the two teenagers.

McLeod and his crew put the victims up at hotels in and around Hudson County for four or five days at a time, the AG’s Office said, noting that the two made up to $800 a day, all of which McLeod collected.

An investigation by the FBI Child Exploitation Task Force and the Attorney General’s Human Trafficking Unit found that each member of the crew had specific duties. Two would rent out the hotel rooms in their names; one acted as security outside the room while the teens were with men; another would act as a “body guard” for the girls; and one of the men transported the teens from hotel to hotel.

Authorities say Hayward, Powell and Jeter received a small percentage of the money gained from the prostitution, but McLeod kept most of it for himself.

McLeod is also charged with aggravated assault. Authorities say he held a gun to the head of the 18-year-old and threatened to kill her recently when he accused her of disrespecting him. Other times, he allegedly beat and kicked her.

The four men are being held in the Hudson County Jail with bail set at $400,000. The men face 20 years to life on the human trafficking charge and 10 to 20 years on the other first-degree charges of human trafficking and promoting prostitution of a person under 18.

The Secaucus, Jersey City and Northfield police departments assisted in the investigation.