A self-proclaimed pastor of a church in Orange, New Jersey, was indicted in April for a barrage of offenses, including sex trafficking and forced labor, the US Justice Department announced on Saturday.
The indictment, which named Treva Edwards, 60, and his wife, Christine Edwards, 63, was only unsealed on May 7. It charges that Edwards used force, fraud, or coercion to sex traffic his victims and forced labor.
“These charges are an example of my office’s tireless commitment to combating human trafficking in our community. If you engage in human trafficking, we will find you, and we will prosecute you. We are committed to working alongside our partners to ensure that those who target the most vulnerable are brought to justice,” US Attorney Alina Habba said in relation to the indictment.
The defendants founded the church ‘Jesus is Lord by the Holy Ghost’ which operated out of an apartment complex in New Jersey and is alleged to have coerced congregants to work without pay.
Over nine years, from 2011 to 2020, the pair is said to have recruited individuals struggling in their personal lives and convinced them that Edwards was a prophet who could communicate with God.
After convincing his victims that he was a prophet, he told his victims that disobeying him would result in spiritual retribution from God and would bring spiritual, emotional, and financial harm, the department claimed.
Church members were forced to gut and clean properties, remove bulk trash, clean sewage, move furniture, handle rodent infestations, and shovel snow, according to the indictment.
“The Department of Justice will not tolerate the exploitation of vulnerable individuals under the guise of faith or community,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division.
“This Civil Rights Division is committed to holding accountable those who abuse positions of trust to manipulate and control others for personal gain. These charges reflect our unwavering focus on protecting victims and prosecuting those who commit forced labor and sex trafficking.”
The defendants allegedly instilled fear among their victims through verbal and emotional abuse and threats of reputational harm, homelessness, hunger, spiritual retribution and punishments, which would include further unpaid manual labor.
The accused were said to have also enforced strict routine rules on their followers, controlling when they could eat, sleep, work, and pray. The members were reportedly only allowed to eat after completing their labor. This control was also said to have been used to isolate victims, as the defendants are alleged to have controlled when they could leave the building and whether they would be allowed to speak to non-members.
Members were reportedly convinced that non-members were evil and or possessed by the devil.
Sexual and physical abuse at the New Jersey church
The indictment also alleged that Edwards subjected one of his members to repeated physical and sexual assaults, which led to her impregnation. Upon discovering her pregnancy, Edwards reportedly instructed her to abort the pregnancy. In 2019, he was said to have hosted a 'struggle session' with all members of the church attempting to prevent the pregnant woman from leaving.
“Treva and Christine Edwards turned a source of hope into a tool of fear by allegedly exploiting religious faith to manipulate victims and expose them to sexual violence and forced labor conditions,” said Special Agent in Charge Ricky J. Patel of HSI Newark Division. “Seeking justice for human trafficking victims in cases like this is of utmost importance to HSI Newark. Anyone who may believe they are a victim of trafficking can be assured our investigations are victim-centered and that we will continue to relentlessly pursue justice for anyone’s freedom that has been held ransom.”
Despite Edwards allegedly instructing his victim to get an abortion, the indictment claimed he discouraged members from seeking medical treatment, claiming instead that “God would heal members who were in good standing with.”
The charge of sex trafficking by force, fraud, or coercion against Edwards carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years in prison and a maximum penalty of life imprisonment, and the forced labor charge carries a maximum sentence of twenty years or life imprisonment if the government proves at trial that the violation included aggravated sexual abuse. The conspiracy to commit forced labor charge against both defendants carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison.
“We will not comment on this ongoing litigation at this time,” Edwards’ federal public defender, Michael Alexander Thomas, said in a statement to McClatchy News on Tuesday.
Christine Edwards’ defense attorney, F.R. Chip Dunne III, added that she “categorically denies the allegations” and said the charges are “unfounded.”
“She has spent her professional life working to uplift others, acting with integrity, compassion, and dedication to her community,” Dunne said in an emailed statement.