3 Charged In Sex Trafficking Of Missing NJ Child

CHERRY HILL, NJ — Three men have been arrested and charged in connection with trafficking a child who went missing in Camden County late last year, Acting Attorney General Andrew J. Bruck and New Jersey State Police Superintendent Colonel Patrick J. Callahan announced on Tuesday.

The investigation began when a little girl was reported missing out of Voorhees on Oct. 26, according to authorities. The following day, Voorhees police contacted the New Jersey State Police Missing Persons & Human Trafficking Unit for assistance.

During the investigation, detectives came across numerous online advertisements offering the child for prostitution in Cherry Hill, authorities said. Detectives said they were able to link 21-year-old Jazmin Scott, of Lawnside, to the advertisements.

Scott was arrested on Nov. 24 in Camden as she was attempting to prostitute the child, according to authorities. The child was reunited with her family.

“I applaud the State Police and local law enforcement for working together to locate the missing juvenile and reunite her with her family,” Bruck said. “We are committed to working with law enforcement partners across all levels to raise awareness about human trafficking, rescue victims, and bring those responsible for these terrible crimes to justice.”

Through further investigation, Scott was linked to a human trafficking network that involved 28-year-old Marquise Ogawa and 26-year-old Chyaire Lee, both of Lawnside, authorities said.

Ogawa is accused of securing hotel rooms, coordinating the operation, and collecting payments, authorities said.

Lee is accused of arranging for people to have sex with the child, transported her, paid for hotel rooms, and collected payments, authorities said.

Ogawa and Lee were arrested at a home in Lawnside on Dec. 3, according to authorities.
Detectives also executed a search warrant on a Hyundai Elantra, from which they seized multiple electronic devices and additional items used for human trafficking operations, authorities said.

“This type of cruelty is heartbreaking, and the New Jersey State Police and our partners will do everything in our power to ensure that human traffickers are prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law,” said Director Lyndsay V. Ruotolo of the Division of Criminal Justice. “We urge the public to be vigilant and alert law enforcement if they see a child or teenager in suspicious circumstances.”

Scott was charged with human trafficking, promoting prostitution of a child under 18, promoting organized street crime, endangering the welfare of a child and promoting prostitution.

Lee and Ogawa were each charged with conspiracy, human trafficking, facilitating human trafficking, endangering the welfare of a child, promoting organized street crime, promoting prostitution and promoting child prostitution.

All three were lodged in the Camden County Correctional Facility pending a detention hearing.

“With child trafficking becoming more prevalent across the United States, our law enforcement agencies must stay one step ahead in an effort to keep juveniles safe from being targeted by these offenders,” Callahan said. “I applaud the dedicated detectives and our partnering agencies who continue to work tirelessly to eradicate child trafficking. We will continue to target perpetrators that prey on innocent youth and swiftly bring them to justice.”