US attorney announces indictments against 'prophet,' wife for alleged sex trafficking, forced labor in alleged church scheme
A New Jersey couple is facing federal charges over jaw-dropping accusations of sex trafficking, forced labor, and exploiting vulnerable church members under the guise of divine will.
Treva Edwards, 60, and Christine Edwards, 63, were arrested May 7. The couple were indicted on charges of conspiracy to commit forced labor. Treva Edwards also was hit with charges of forced labor and sex trafficking by force, fraud, or coercion.
Treva Edwards reportedly subjected one alleged female victim to repeated physical and sexual assaults and impregnated her, after which he ordered her to get an abortion, according to the indictment.
The United States Attorney's Office for the District of New Jersey said in a statement that the husband and wife were the "founders and pastors of a church they named 'Jesus Is Lord by the Holy Ghost,' which they operated out of a multi-unit apartment building in Orange, New Jersey, and where they conspired to coax and coerce vulnerable victims to work with no pay."
Alina Habba, interim U.S. attorney for the District of New Jersey — previously an attorney for President Donald Trump — delivered a stern warning to those contemplating committing human trafficking crimes.
"These charges are an example of my office's tireless commitment to combatting human trafficking in our community," Habba proclaimed. "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."
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Between 2011 and 2020, the suspects allegedly preyed on individuals struggling with financial issues, personal problems, or poor family relationships. The couple allegedly urged these individuals to join the church to find salvation.
According to the 10-page indictment, "Treva Edwards allegedly told Victim 1, Victim 2, and others that he was a prophet who could communicate directly with God. According to the indictment, he told members that 'disobeying him would result in spiritual retribution from God, as well as physical, emotional, and financial harm.'"
The suspects allegedly manipulated church members into carrying out grueling labor by telling them that the work was to be done to serve God.
The defendants reportedly compelled the church members to sign contracts to guarantee they would do the assigned work. Christine Edwards reportedly procured the labor contracts through her employment at a New Jersey property management company.
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Some of the labor forced on the church members included "cleaning and gutting commercial and residential properties, shoveling snow, removing bulk trash, moving furniture, cleaning raw sewage, and exterminating rodent infestations," the indictment states.
The couple allegedly threatened the church members that if they failed to do the work, they would "lose favor with God."
Authorities said the couple monitored church members and even regulated when they ate and slept. The pastor and his wife allegedly instructed some members that they were prohibited from leaving the church property, and some were convinced to not talk to non-members because they were allegedly "evil" or "possessed by the devil."
The couple reportedly kept any money the church members earned.
Treva Edwards reportedly discouraged some of the alleged victims from seeking medical treatment and instead told them God would heal them as long as they were in "good standing" with the church.
According to the indictment, Christine Edwards told members of the Jesus Is Lord by the Holy Ghost church that a "successful labor job was evidence of God's will."
The United States Attorney's Office stated, "Treva Edwards spread fear among the victims through verbal and emotional abuse and threats of reputational harm, homelessness, hunger, spiritual retribution, punishments, and more hard labor to gain their obedience and compel them to perform unpaid labor."
Treva Edwards reportedly subjected one alleged female victim to repeated physical and sexual assaults and impregnated her, after which he ordered her to get an abortion, according to the indictment.
Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon said, "The Department of Justice will not tolerate the exploitation of vulnerable individuals under the guise of faith. These charges reflect our unwavering focus on protecting victims and prosecuting those who commit such heinous crimes.”
Special Agent in Charge Ricky J. Patel of Homeland Security Investigations Newark Division said, "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."
Blaze News reached out to the U.S. Attorney's Office for comment on the disturbing case but did not receive an immediate response.
As Blaze News exclusively reported earlier this month, the nonprofit organization Safe House Project launched an innovative anti-trafficking app to empower users to safely, anonymously, and effectively report instances of suspected human trafficking.
BlazeTV host Allie Beth Stuckey interviewed a former witch who got wrapped up in the dark world of sex cults.
Jac Marino Chen told Stuckey on the "Relatable" podcast that she got involved with cults that practiced "sex magic."
“It was there that Jesus Christ met me in that darkness and saved me,” she told Stuckey.
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