Man Who Sex Trafficked Child In Burlington Co. Gets Indicted: AG

BORDENTOWN, NJ — A man accused of sex trafficking a girl out of a Burlington County hotel has received a 16-count indictment, officials said Thursday.

Nieem Johnson operated a human-trafficking network out of New Jersey and Pennsylvania, according to the New Jersey Office of the Attorney General (OAG). One of the victims — a 15-year-old girl — escaped March 3 from a Bordentown hotel room, where Johnson held her captive and forced her into prostitution, authorities said.

Johnson, 40, was arrested Aug. 31 in Atlantic City, following a months-long investigation. The offenses in the indictment occurred between Feb. 28 and the date Johnson entered custody, the OAG said.

His co-defendant — Thomas Fulcher, 54, of Marlton — was previously charged with sexual assault and engaging in prostitution with a minor — both second-degree offenses.

Johnson was placed in the Atlantic County Correctional Facility, where he'll remain detained during his trial. Fulcher was released pending trial.

During the investigation, detectives found an online advertisement offering the child for prostitution, the OAG said. Authorities linked the ad to Johnson.

Following his arrest, authorities identified and safely recovered another victim whom Johnson forced into commercial sex acts for several months, the OAG said.

Johnson used threats and physical violence to coerce the victims into remaining in the sex trade for his financial gain, authorities said. Investigators found he choked the second victim by grabbing her around the neck, pushed her against the wall, and lifted her off the ground by the neck.

A state grand jury voted to indict Johnson on the following charges:

• two counts of human trafficking (first-degree)
• conspiracy (first-degree)
• two counts of facilitating human trafficking (second-degree)
• advertising commercial sex abuse of a minor (first-degree)
• promoting organized street crime (first-degree)
• criminal restraint (third-degree)
• promoting prostitution of a minor (first-degree)
• engaging in prostitution with a minor (second-degree)
• three counts of sexual assault (second-degree)
• criminal coercion (third-degree)
• endangering the welfare of a child (third-degree)
• aggravated assault (second-degree)

If convicted, Johnson could be imprisoned for the rest of his life. First-degree convictions carry up to 20 years in prison, while second-degree offenses carry 5 to 10 years and crimes of the third-degree are punishable by 3-5 years' imprisonment.

Johnson's last-known address is in Philadelphia.